The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage Family Stories Read Online Free PDF

too much,” she answered comfortably, picking up her tatting. “I think it's much better for them to get that sort of thing out of their systems when they're small. And then Miss Croot is such a near neighbor; we don't want to offend her. Just think how tiresome it was when the Bradmans lived there and kept dropping all their snails over the fence. At least the children play quietly and keep themselves amused nowadays, and that's such a blessing."
    Next evening, however, the children were being far from quiet.
    Mr. Armitage, in his study, could hear raucous shouts and recriminations going on between Mark and Harriet and the Shepherd children, ancient enemies of theirs in the garden on the other side.
    "Sucks to you!"
    "Double sucks, with brass knobs on."
    "This is a gun, I've shot you dead. Bang!"
    "This is a magic wand, I've turned you into a—"
    " Will you stop that hideous row,” exclaimed Mr. Armitage, bursting out of his French window. A deathly hush fell in the garden. He realized almost at once, though, that the silence was due not so much to his intervention as the fact that where little Richard, Geoffrey, and Moira Shepherd had been, there were now three sheep, which Harriet and Mark were regarding with triumphant satisfaction.
    "Did you do that?” said Mr. Armitage sharply to his children.
    "Well—yes."
    "Change them back at once."
    "We don't know how."
    "Geoffrey—Moira—your mother says it's bedtime.” Mr. Shepherd came out of his greenhouse with a pair of secateurs.
    "I say, Shepherd, I'm terribly sorry—my children have changed yours into sheep. And now they say they don't know how to change them back."
    "Oh, don't apologize, old chap. As a matter of fact, I think it's a pretty good show. Some peace and quiet will be a wonderful change, and I shan't have to mow the lawn.” He shouted indoors with the liveliest pleasure,
    "I say, Minnie! Our kids have been turned into sheep, so you won't have to put them to bed. Dig out a long frock and we'll go to the Harvest Ball."
    A shriek of delight greeted his words.
    "All the same, it was a disgraceful thing to do,” said Mr. Armitage severely, escorting his children indoors. “How long will it last?"
    "Oh, only till midnight—like Cinderella's coach, you know,” replied Harriet carelessly.
    "It would be rather fun if we went to the Harvest Ball,” remarked Mr. Armitage, in whom the sight of the carefree Shepherd parents had awakened unaccustomed longings. “Agnes could look after the children, couldn't she?"
    "Yes, but I've nothing fit to wear!” exclaimed his wife. “Why didn't you think of it sooner?"
    "Well, dash it all, can't the kids fix you up with something? Not that I approve of this business, in fact I'm going to put a stop to it, but in the meantime..."
    Harriet and Mark were delighted to oblige and soon provided their mother with a very palatial crinoline of silver lamé.
    "Doesn't look very warm,” commented her husband. “Remember the Assembly Rooms are always as cold as the tomb. Better wear something wooly underneath."
    Mrs. Armitage created a sensation at the ball, and was so sought-after that her husband hardly saw her the whole evening. All of a sudden, as he was enjoying a quiet game of whist with the McAlisters, a terrible thought struck him.
    "What's the time, Charles?"
    "Just on twelve, old man. Time we were toddling. I say, what's up?"
    Mr. Armitage had fled from the table and was frantically searching the ballroom for his wife. At last he saw her, right across on the other side.
    "Mary!” he shouted. “You must come home at once."
    "Why? What? Is it the children...?” She was threading her way towards him when the clock began to strike. Mr. Armitage started and shut his eyes. A roar of applause broke out, and he opened his eyes to see his wife looking down at herself in surprise. She was wearing a scarlet silk ski-suit. Everyone crowded around her, patting her on the back, and saying that it was the neatest trick they'd seen