sa made me sit down, propping me
against the trunk as if I should otherwise have fallen; and in a moment
more a square box of pewter tea-things came tumbling up to our feet,
where the lid burst open, and all the tea-things fell out in perfect
order; the cups on the saucers, the lid on the teapot, and so on.

"'Take a little tea, my love?' said Miss Rosa, pressing a pewter teacup
to my lips.

"I made believe to drink, but was only conscious of inhaling a draught
of air with a slight flavour of tin. In taking my second cup I was
nearly choked with the teaspoon, which got into my throat.

"'What are you doing?' roared the Jack-in-a-box at this moment; 'you
are not punishing her.'

"'I am treating her as she treated me,' answered Rosa, looking as
severe as her smile would allow. 'I believe that tit for tat is the
rule, and that at present it is my turn.'

"'It will be mine soon,' growled the Jack-in-a-box, and I thought of
the bonfire with a shudder. However, there was no knowing what might
happen before his turn did come, and meanwhile I was in friendly hands.
It was not the first time my dolly and I had sat together under a tree,
and, truth to say, I do not think she had any injuries to avenge.

"'When your wig comes off,' murmured Rosa, as she stole a pink kid arm
tenderly round my neck, 'I'll make you a cap with blue and white
rosettes, and pretend that you have had a fever.'

"I thanked her gratefully, and was glad to reflect that I was not yet
in need of an attention which I distinctly remember having shown to her
in the days of her dollhood. Presently she jumped up.

"'I think you shall go to bed now, dear,' she said, and, taking my hand
once more, she led me to the big doll's bedstead, which, with its
pretty bed-clothes and white dimity furniture, looked tempting enough
to a sleeper of suitable size. It could not have supported one quarter
of my weight.

"'I have not made you a night-dress, my love,' Rosa continued; 'I am
not fond of my needle, you know. _You_ were not fond of your needle, I
think, I fear you must go to bed in your clothes, my dear.'

"'You are very kind,' I said, 'but I am not tired, and--it would not
bear my weight.'

"'Pooh! pooh!' said Rosa. 'My love! I remember passing one Sunday in it
with the rag-doll, and the Dowager, and the Punch and Judy (the amount
of pillow their two noses took up I shall never forget!), and the old
doll that had nothing on, because her clothes were in the