oneybird asked.

Fly could think of nothing.

"Why don't ye pray to have ould Mrs Bogue alive again?" said Honeybird.

"That's no use wanst people's dead," said Fly.

"But couldn't God make her niver 'a' been dead at all?" Honeybird
asked. "I'd try Him if I was you."

Fly thought for a moment. "We'll both pray hard, and then we'll go an'
see." They knelt down under an apple-tree. Honeybird prayed first,
and then Fly. Then they started for Mrs Bogue's house. Honeybird
would have liked Fly to tell her a story as they went along the road,
but she dare not ask, for she could tell by Fly's face that she was
still praying.

The road was hot and dusty. Both the children were soon tired.
Honeybird thought of the others enjoying themselves on the rocks. She
wished she could have gone with them. She would have enjoyed it too,
for though she pretended to Fly that she was anxious, she really was
not troubled at all. She did not believe that Almighty God wanted one
of them to die. Lull said their mother had not been so well for years.
But she had shared Fly's prayers, and a sense of honour made her try to
share Fly's trouble now that the prayer had gone wrong. Fly was still
muttering. Every now and then Honeybird could hear: "For Christ's
sake. Amen."

When they came to Mrs Bogue's gate Fly said they were to say a last
prayer each, and then ask at the lodge. They shut their eyes.

"Make her alive an' well, Almighty God. Amen," said Honeybird.

They opened their eyes, and went up to the lodge, but while they were
still knocking at the door Mrs Bogue's big yellow carriage came round
the corner of the avenue. Inside the carriage was the old lady
herself. Fly gave a howl of delight. The children ran forward, and
the carriage pulled up.

"There ye are alive an' well," said Fly joyfully. "Och, but I'm glad
to see ye."

Mrs Bogue's wizened face expressed no pleasure at seeing Fly.

"Of course I'm well; I always am," she said in a thin, high voice.

"Ye were dead this mornin', though," said Honeybird.

"Dead! who said I was dead?" Mrs Bogue demanded indignantly.

"Lull tould us that iverybuddy said ye died last night," said Fly; she
was still smiling with delight.

Mrs Bogue turned to her niece. "Do you hear that, Maria? That is
twice they have had me dead. I don't know what the world is coming to.
They won't give people time to die nowadays."

"We'll give ye any amount a' time, Mrs Bogue," said F