There came just then some very dull rainy days, regular rainy days, not stormy, but to the children much more disagreeable than had they been so. For in _stormy_ weather at the seaside there is too much excitement for anyone to think whether it is disagreeable or not--there is the splendid sight of the angry, troubled sea, there are the wonderful "storm songs" of the wind to listen to. Of course, as Carrots used to say, at such times it is "dedful" to think of the poor sailors; but even in thinking of them there is something that takes one's thoughts quite away from one's self, and one's own worries and troubles--all the marvellous stories of shipwreck and adventure, from Grace Darling to old Sinbad, come rushing into one's mind, and one feels as if the sea were the only part of the world worth living on. But even at the seaside, regular, steady, "stupid" rainy days are trying. Carrots sat at the nursery window one of these dull afternoons looking out wistfully. "Floss," he said, for Floss was sitting on the floor learning her geography for the next day, "Floss, it _is_ so raining." "I know," said Floss, stopping a minute in her "principal rivers of northern Europe." "I wish there wasn't so much rain, and then there wouldn't be so many rivers; or perhaps if there weren't so many rivers there wouldn't be so much rain. I wonder which it is!" "Which beginned first--rivers or rain?" said Carrots, meditatively, "_that_ would tell." "I'm sure I don't know, and I don't believe anybody does," said Floss, going on again with her lesson. "Be quiet, Carrots, for one minute, and then I'll talk to you." Carrots sat silent for about a minute and a half; then he began again. "Floss," he said. "Well," replied Floss, "I've very nearly done, Carrots." "It's werry dull to-day, Floss; the sea looks dull too, it isn't dancey a bit to-day, and the sands look as if they would _never_ be nice for running on again." "Oh, but they will, Master Carrots," said nurse, who was sitting near, busy darning stockings. "Dear, dear! don't I remember feeling just so when I was a child? In winter thinking summer would never come, and in summer forgetting all about winter!" "Is it a werry long time since you were a child?" inquired Carrots, directing his attention to nurse. "It's getting on for a good long time, my dear," said nurse, with a smile. "Please tell me about it," said Carrots. "Oh yes, nursie dear, do," said Floss, jumping up from the floor and shutting her book. "I've done all my lessons, and it would just be nice to have a story. It would amuse poor little Carrots." "But you know all my stories as well, or even better, than I do myself," objected nurse, "not that they were ever much to tell, any of them."