So the table was moved back. And then the hole in the carpet, that
had been near the window till the carpet was turned round, showed
most awfully. But Anthea stole out on tip-toe, and got the tray
when cook wasn't looking, and brought it in and put it over the
hole.
Then all the fireworks were put on the table, and each of the four
children shut its eyes very tight and put out its hand and grasped
something. Robert took a cracker, Cyril and Anthea had Roman
candles; but Jane's fat paw closed on the gem of the whole collection,
the Jack-in-the-box that had cost two shillings, and one at least of the
party--I will not say which, because it was sorry afterwards--declared
that Jane had done it on purpose. Nobody was pleased. For the worst of
it was that these four children, with a very proper dislike of anything
even faintly bordering on the sneakish, had a law, unalterable as those
of the Medes and Persians, that one had to stand by the results of a
toss-up, or a drawing of lots, or any other appeal to chance, however
much one might happen to dislike the way things were turning out.
'I didn't mean to,' said Jane, near tears. 'I don't care, I'll
draw another--'
'You know jolly well you can't,' said Cyril, bitterly. 'It's
settled. It's Medium and Persian.
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