"Yes, I'll hand him over in just one minute," Anthea began, talking very
fast,--"but do let me just tell you he has a warm bath every night and
cold in the morning, and he has a crockery rabbit to go into the warm
bath with him, and little Samuel saying his prayers in white china on a
red cushion for the cold bath; and he hates you to wash his ears, but
you must; and if you let the soap get into his eyes, the Lamb"--

"Lamb kyes," said he--he had stopped roaring to listen.

The woman laughed. "As if I hadn't never bath'd a babby!" she said.
"Come--give us a hold of him. Come to 'Melia, my precious"--

"G'way, ugsie!" replied the Lamb at once.

"Yes, but," Anthea went on, "about his meals; you really _must_ let me
tell you he has an apple or banana every morning, and bread and milk for
breakfast, and an egg for his tea sometimes, and"--

"I've brought up ten," said the black ringleted woman, "besides the
others. Come, miss, 'and 'im over--I can't bear it no longer. I just
must give him a hug."

"We ain't settled yet whose he's to be, Esther," said one of the men.

"It won't be you, Esther, with seven of 'em at your tail a'ready."

"I ain't so sure of that," said Esther's husband.

"And ain't I nobody, to have a say neither?" said the husband of 'Melia.