Carlton stood with heaving chest. He was spared something at last; his cup was not to overflow after all. And, as he stood, the grass whispered, and the rain came down. Again Georgie was caught up, to be set down next instant in the shed; but this time he was really offended. "I don't want to come in," he whimpered. "I want to build wif your bwicks. They're much, much bigger'n mine!" "But it's raining, don't you see? It would never do for Georgie to get wet." "Oh, I wish I would play wif your bwicks!" "Why, Georgie, you couldn't lift them; you're not strong enough." "But I are, I tell you. I really are!" "Here's one, then," said Carlton, who kept his misfits in the shed. "You try." Georgie did try. He rolled the stone over, though it was no small one; lift it he could not. "You see, it was heavier than you thought." "'Cos never mind," coaxed Georgie, in another formula of his own; "you carry it for me!" "But it's raining, and we should both be wet through." "'Cos _never_ mind!" "But I do mind; and, what's more, everybody else would mind as well." "Then what _shall_ we do?" cried Georgie, from his depths. Carlton had no idea. But the boy was weary, and must be amused; that was the first necessity; and he who had never laid himself out to conciliate men must strain every nerve to please this little child. His eyes flew round the shed. And there upon the shelf stood his gargoyles deep in dust. "Oh, what a funny old man!" cried Georgie. "Oh, ho, ho!" But Carlton, in his ignorance of children, had over-estimated a strong child's strength; the stone head slipped through the tiny hands, narrowly missing the tiny toes; and when Georgie stooped and rolled it over, it was seen that a terrible accident had really occurred. "Oh, oh, oh!" cried an alarming little voice, "Oh, he's broken his nose, he's broken it to bits; oh, oh!" Carlton made a dive for the other gargoyle; but this was a peculiarly sinister face; and Georgie's tears only ran the faster. "Oh, I don't like that one. It's a ho'ble face. I don't like it." Carlton cast the thing from him, and at the same moment became and looked inspired. "Shall I make you a new face, Georgie? A better one than either of the others?" "Yes, do, I say! A new face! A new face!" And shouts of delight came from the tear-stained one: such was the sound that Gwynneth heard in the lane.