Produced by Jason Isbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Library of Congress) [Illustration: The Psammead] FIVE CHILDREN AND IT BY E. NESBIT AUTHOR OF "THE TREASURE-SEEKERS," "THE WOULD-BE-GOODS," ETC. _ILLUSTRATED_ [Illustration] NEW YORK DODD, MEAD & COMPANY 1905 COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY _Published October, 1905_ _TO_ JOHN BLAND _My Lamb, you are so very small, You have not learned to read at all; Yet never a printed book withstands The urgence of your dimpled hands. So, though this book is for yourself, Let mother keep it on the shelf Till you can read. O days that pass, That day will come too soon, alas!_ NOTE Parts of this story have appeared in the _Strand Magazine_ under the title of "THE PSAMMEAD." CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I BEAUTIFUL AS THE DAY 1 II GOLDEN GUINEAS 36 III BEING WANTED 70 IV WINGS 108 V NO WINGS 141 VI A CASTLE AND NO DINNER 159 VII A SIEGE AND BED 183 VIII BIGGER THAN THE BAKER'S BOY 203 IX GROWN UP 236 X SCALPS 261 XI THE LAST WISH 287 ILLUSTRATIONS The Psammead _Frontispiece_ That First Glorious Rush Round the Garden _Facing page_ 2 Cyril Had Nipped His Finger in the Door of a Hutch " " 4 Anthea Suddenly Screamed, "It's Alive!" " " 12 The Baby Did Not Know Them! " " 28 Martha Emptied a Toilet-jug of Cold Water Over Him " " 32 The Rain Fell in Slow Drops on to Anthea's Face " " 36 He Staggered, and Had to Sit Down Again in a Hurry " " 50 Mr. Beale Snatched the Coin, Bit It, and Put It in His Pocket " " 58 They Had Run Into Martha and the Baby " " 64 He Said, "Now Then!" to the Policeman and Mr. Peasemarsh " " 66 The Lucky Children Hurriedly Started for the Gravel Pit " " 78 "Poof, poof, poofy," He Said, and Made a Grab " " 86 At Double-quick Time Ran the Twinkling Legs of the Lamb's Brothers and Sisters " " 88 The Next Minute the Two Were Fighting " " 90 He Snatched the Baby from Anthea " " 94 He Consented to Let the Two Gypsy Women Feed Him " " 98 The Sand-fairy Blew Himself Out " " 122