Susie felt a little excited next morning when she remembered the twins,
and all the time she was digging moats and piling up sand castles she had
one eye fixed on the active figures of her new friends, who, with bare
legs and shrill voices, attracted a good deal of attention. Once she
tried timidly to "draw" nurse on the subject, but nurse was not
responsive.

"Those are rather splendid children," she said wistfully.

"Where?" said nurse, lifting a calculating eye from the heel of the
stocking she was knitting, and looking vaguely round the horizon.

"There--on the rock," said Susie eagerly. "Tom and I want to go on the
rocks so much, and those children could help us; they are so very--so
very _reckless_."

"So very rude," said nurse dispassionately.

The very words Amy had used. The angry blood flew into Susie's face.

"I don't know what you mean by rude," she said obstinately. "It's very
dull sitting here and making castles with babies; and Tom and I want to
go on the rocks."

"Well, your mamma will take you some day, when she feels better," said
nurse. "She's had a wearing time since she came. No doubt it's a trial to
see other children, with no decent nurse to look after them, running wild
and shouting like wild Indians; but I have my duty to you and your mamma,
and you must just bear it as best you can. You should take example by