An Unofficial rose

Felix picked up another pebble and threw it after A

Almost automatically Pe

'That was a mighty throw, said Humphrey. 'But you're a cricketing man, aren't you, Pe

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'I bet you couldn't throw as far as that, Felix, said Mildred.

'I'm sure I couldn't!” said Felix. He found himself a stone and mounting a little up the beach discharged it high into the air. It fell with a loud splash a good few yards beyond Pe

'Oh, well done! said A

Miranda had detached herself from A

«I don't think Pe

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He was conscious of Miranda behind him like a pale cloud. He threw his stone with an easy strength and outstripped Felix's throw by a yard!

Everyone cried' Splendid! and began to egg Felix on to try again.

'Let each of them have three throws, said Humphrey, 'not counting Pe

Felix prepared to throw again. As his great shoulders moved for the throw he seemed to Pe

Felix's next stone fell a little way beyond Pe

Pe

'It's incredible, said Mildred. 'I can't think how a human being can send a stone so far. Pe

Felix, with a look of comical determination, took his stance, and without preliminaries, while the others were still exclaiming, hurled his pebble. It out-distanced Pe

Pe

'Never mind, said Mildred. 'We think you're both wonderful.

Now let's go in and have some tea, I'm getting cold.

'You shall both have a prize, said Humphrey. 'What would you like for yours, young Pe

'Miranda, do be careful, said A

They began to trail back through the trees. Pe

They moved on slowly. Back in the grove it was dark at first until they got used to the greenish half light. Patches of sunshine high up, moving in the leafy space like miraculous fishes, illumined sudden vistas of thick boughs and canopied galleries. Pe

'Ha-a-a-ay!

There was a loud cry from behind and everyone stopped. It sounded at first like a cry of fear, and Pe

'Hey, everyone, come and see where I am! Miranda sang out. 'Good heavens! said A

They reached a slight clearing where a great tree spread its A

'Miranda, come down at once I' cried A

'Ho, ho, ho! Come and fetch me I' called Miranda. She began to swing on the branch.

A

'Miranda, don't be a bloody little ass, said Mildred. 'We think you're very clever to have got up there. Now come down and stop frightening us, or by heaven you shall have no tea.

'I'm going farther up, Miranda a

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'Do you really want me to come down? said Miranda. She had stopped and was half visible, her legs pale among the dark leaves. 'Yes, I certainly do, said Felix. 'Come down at once.

There was a moment's pause. 'All right, said Miranda. 'Watch out.

I'm going to jump.

'Don't — cried A

But the next moment Miranda had jumped. Someone screamed.

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There was, after the tumbling heap came to a stand-still, a moment of immobility. Then A

'Are you all right? said A

Miranda didn't answer at once. She breathed deeply. She said then, 'I'm all right except for my ankle. That hurts a lot. She began to cry. 'Don't try to get up, said A

'Needs whipping if you ask me, said Mildred.

'I'm all right really, said Miranda through her sobs, one hand on her leg and the other in her eye. 'It's just the ankle. It hurts so much.

It took a little while for everyone to be satisfied that nothing was indeed broken except perhaps the ankle. Then it was decided that she should be moved back to the house. After consulting with A

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