ing as a garden spade, and when even immersion in a wash basin
had failed to wash the mould from the works and make the watch go again.
Cyril had said several things in the heat of the moment; but now he was
calmer, and had even consented to carry the Lamb part of the way to
the woods. Cyril had persuaded the others to agree to his plan, and not
to wish for anything more till they really did wish it. Meantime it
seemed good to go to the woods for nuts, and on the mossy grass under a
sweet chestnut tree the five were sitting. The Lamb was pulling up the
moss by fat handfuls, and Cyril was gloomily contemplating the ruins of
his watch.

[Illustration: He opened the case and used the whole thing as a garden
spade]

"He does grow," said Anthea. "Doesn't 'oo, precious?"

"Me grow," said the Lamb cheerfully--"me grow big boy, have guns' an'
mouses--an'--an'"---- Imagination or vocabulary gave out here. But
anyway it was the longest speech the Lamb had ever made, and it charmed
everyone, even Cyril, who tumbled the Lamb over and rolled him in the
moss to the music of delighted squeals.

"I suppose he'll be grown up some day," Anthea was saying, dreamily
looking up at the blue of the sky that showed between the long straight
chestnut-leaves. But at that moment the Lamb, struggling gaily with
Cyril, thrust a stout-shod little foot against his brother's chest;
there was a crack!--the innocent Lamb had broken the glass of father's
second-best Waterbury watch, which Cyril had borrowed without leave.

"Grow up some day!" said Cyril bitterly, plumping the Lamb down on the
grass. "I daresay he will--when nobody wants him to. I wish to goodness
he would"--

"_Oh_, take care!" cried Anthea in an agony of apprehension. But it was
too late--like music to a song her words and Cyril's came out together--

Anthea--"Oh, take care!"

Cyril--"Grow up now!"

The faithful Psammead was true to its promise, and there, before the
horrified eyes of its brothers and sisters, the Lamb suddenly and
violently grew up. It was the most terrible moment. The change was not
so sudden as the wish-changes usually were. The Baby's face changed
first. It grew thinner and larger, lines came in the forehead, the eyes
grew more deep-set and darker in colour, the mouth grew longer and
thinner; most terrible of all, a little dark mustache appeared on the
lip of one who was still--except as to the face--a two-year-old baby in
a linen smock and white open-wor