them both across the attic. Their arms and legs went sprawling wildly as they landed upon their musical boxes. They wobbled a little for a moment, but soon they were steadily whirling round.
"Oh!" panted Jane. "What a lovely surprise!"
"I feel like a spinning top!" shouted Michael.
Mr. Twiglev gave a little start and stared at them in astonishment.
"Did
I
do that? Good Gracious me! I'm getting quite clever at wishing."
"Clever!" said Mary Poppins sniffing. "Ridiculous—that's what
I
call it!"
"Well, at least it's safe," said Mr. Twigley. "And rather pleasant. Why don't you try it?"
"Wish!" urged Michael, with a wave of his hand.
"Ah!
She
doesn't need to," said Mr. Twigley, with a curious glance at Mary Poppins.
"Well, if you insist..." she said with a sniff. And placing her two feet neatly together she rose from the floor and swept past the rafters. Then, without a smile, not even a wobble, she alighted upon a musical box. Immediately, though no one had wound it, the tune broke gaily out.
"Round and round the Cobbler's bench,
The Monkey chased the Weasel,
The Monkey said it was all in fun—
Pop goes the Weasel!"
it sang.
And round and round went Mary Poppins, as calmly as though she had turned and spun from the very day she was born.
"Now we're all together!" Jane cried happily. She glanced at the window and waved her hand to draw Michael's attention.
Outside in the street the little houses were revolving on their foundations. Above in the sky spun two white clouds. And the attic itself, like the musical boxes, was turning round and round.
But loudly though the four tunes rang, another sound could be heard above them. Thump! Thump! The heavy steps came nearer.
And the next moment somebody banged on the door.
"Open, I say, in the name of the Law!" cried a voice that was somehow familiar.
A strong hand twisted the rickety lock. And then, with a crash, the door burst open. On the threshold stood Mrs. Clump and the Policeman. They stared.
She alighted upon a musical box
Their eyes popped. Their mouths fell open with astonishment.
"Well, of all the shameful sights!" cried Mrs. Clump. "I never thought to see this house turned into an Amusement Park!" She shook her fist at Mary Poppins. "You're going to get your reward, my girl. The Policeman here will deal with you! And as for you, Mr. Twigley, down you get from that silly razzle-dazzle and comb your hair and put on your hat. We're going off to be married!"
Mr. Twigley shuddered. But he swung his coat-tails jauntily.
"Don't shout and thump
Please, Mrs. Clump,
It makes me jump!"
he sang, as he sped round. The Policeman took out notebook and pencil.
"Come on! Stop spinning, all of you. I'm as giddy as a Garden Goat. And I want an Explanation!"
Mr. Twigley gave a gleeful cackle.
"You've come to the wrong place, Officer dear! I've never yet made an Explanation. And what's more, as I used to say to my boy, Methuselah, I don't believe in 'em!"
"Now, now, joking'11 only make things worse. You can't tell
me
you're Methuselah's father!" The Policeman smiled a knowing smile.
"Grandfather!" Mr. Twigley retorted, as he sailed gracefully round.
"Now, that's enough. You just come down! This spinning and twirling is bad for the 'Ealth. And not permitted in Private Dwellings. 'Ere! 'Oo's that pulling me! Let me go!" The Policeman gave a frightened shriek as he shot off his feet and through the air. A music box broke into noisy song as he dropped like a stone upon it.
"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do!
I've gone crazy, all for the love of you!"
it shouted.
"'Elp! 'Elp! It's me—PC. 32 calling!" The Policeman wildly snatched at his whistle and blew a resounding blast.
"Officer!" shouted Mrs. Clump. "You do your duty or I'll have the Law on you, too. Get down and arrest that woman!" She thrust a huge finger at Mary Poppins. "I'll have you put behind bars, my girl. I'll have you——Here! Stop spinning me round!" Her eyes grew wide with angry amazement. For a
"Oh!" panted Jane. "What a lovely surprise!"
"I feel like a spinning top!" shouted Michael.
Mr. Twiglev gave a little start and stared at them in astonishment.
"Did
I
do that? Good Gracious me! I'm getting quite clever at wishing."
"Clever!" said Mary Poppins sniffing. "Ridiculous—that's what
I
call it!"
"Well, at least it's safe," said Mr. Twigley. "And rather pleasant. Why don't you try it?"
"Wish!" urged Michael, with a wave of his hand.
"Ah!
She
doesn't need to," said Mr. Twigley, with a curious glance at Mary Poppins.
"Well, if you insist..." she said with a sniff. And placing her two feet neatly together she rose from the floor and swept past the rafters. Then, without a smile, not even a wobble, she alighted upon a musical box. Immediately, though no one had wound it, the tune broke gaily out.
"Round and round the Cobbler's bench,
The Monkey chased the Weasel,
The Monkey said it was all in fun—
Pop goes the Weasel!"
it sang.
And round and round went Mary Poppins, as calmly as though she had turned and spun from the very day she was born.
"Now we're all together!" Jane cried happily. She glanced at the window and waved her hand to draw Michael's attention.
Outside in the street the little houses were revolving on their foundations. Above in the sky spun two white clouds. And the attic itself, like the musical boxes, was turning round and round.
But loudly though the four tunes rang, another sound could be heard above them. Thump! Thump! The heavy steps came nearer.
And the next moment somebody banged on the door.
"Open, I say, in the name of the Law!" cried a voice that was somehow familiar.
A strong hand twisted the rickety lock. And then, with a crash, the door burst open. On the threshold stood Mrs. Clump and the Policeman. They stared.
She alighted upon a musical box
Their eyes popped. Their mouths fell open with astonishment.
"Well, of all the shameful sights!" cried Mrs. Clump. "I never thought to see this house turned into an Amusement Park!" She shook her fist at Mary Poppins. "You're going to get your reward, my girl. The Policeman here will deal with you! And as for you, Mr. Twigley, down you get from that silly razzle-dazzle and comb your hair and put on your hat. We're going off to be married!"
Mr. Twigley shuddered. But he swung his coat-tails jauntily.
"Don't shout and thump
Please, Mrs. Clump,
It makes me jump!"
he sang, as he sped round. The Policeman took out notebook and pencil.
"Come on! Stop spinning, all of you. I'm as giddy as a Garden Goat. And I want an Explanation!"
Mr. Twigley gave a gleeful cackle.
"You've come to the wrong place, Officer dear! I've never yet made an Explanation. And what's more, as I used to say to my boy, Methuselah, I don't believe in 'em!"
"Now, now, joking'11 only make things worse. You can't tell
me
you're Methuselah's father!" The Policeman smiled a knowing smile.
"Grandfather!" Mr. Twigley retorted, as he sailed gracefully round.
"Now, that's enough. You just come down! This spinning and twirling is bad for the 'Ealth. And not permitted in Private Dwellings. 'Ere! 'Oo's that pulling me! Let me go!" The Policeman gave a frightened shriek as he shot off his feet and through the air. A music box broke into noisy song as he dropped like a stone upon it.
"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do!
I've gone crazy, all for the love of you!"
it shouted.
"'Elp! 'Elp! It's me—PC. 32 calling!" The Policeman wildly snatched at his whistle and blew a resounding blast.
"Officer!" shouted Mrs. Clump. "You do your duty or I'll have the Law on you, too. Get down and arrest that woman!" She thrust a huge finger at Mary Poppins. "I'll have you put behind bars, my girl. I'll have you——Here! Stop spinning me round!" Her eyes grew wide with angry amazement. For a
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