"About to-morrow," and went out, chuckling. But Baby stayed behind in the window, and guessed and guessed. Then all of a sudden her heart leaped up; and she blushed and trembled so that she had to sit down. 44 So all the rest of the day she sat under the elm, very busy, making secret little clothes, that nobody was supposed to know anything about. But of course mannikin must leave his daisies, and come and poke and pry and bother with questions, until at last Baby got up and took him by his little hand, and led him back to his hole, saying, "You're a very naughty little man indeed. And I'm very cross with you--very cross." But mannikin only swaggered along at her side, nodding his head very wisely, and saying, "I know--I know," which was a very favourite saying of mannikin's. But Baby answered very short, "I'm sure you don't," and locked him in good and tight for the rest of the day. And that evening when Tiny came back from the Fort, Baby hid the little clothes away, and walked about on his arm, talking poetry-talk in the twilight among the roses; and she didn't say one word about the secret. But Tiny saw there was something up all the same. And when he went to tidy up the boot-hole for the night, mannikin came to him in tears, and begged him to get Baby to forgive him, and to say he promised not to mention one word about the little clothes. And when Tiny heard about the little clothes, he thought, "_Now_ I know!" and went pale all over with excitement. For at that time every year, the good King sends a Surprise-present to the best married girl of That Country: for that is one of the rules. And the Surprise-present is always the same, and so jolly you can't think. So every nice married girl wants to win it; only you can't unless you have been truly good and loving. And Tiny knew Baby was best by far; and he believed the King knew it too. For as he was leaving the Fort that afternoon, he had seen the King whispering in the Colonel's ear behind the water-butt. And when the Colonel heard, he hopped up high, crying, "Dear old Baby!" And the Colonel was Baby's great friend. 45 But Tiny didn't say one word to Baby all the same, but just gave her mannikin's message instead. Then Baby cried, "O poor little chap!--I _clean_ forgot him," and she ran to the boot-hole. And when she got there she heard a tiny little noise inside. So she undid and peeped. And there was mannikin sobbing in a heap in the corner. Then Baby cried, "Why?" But mannikin only sobbed, "Becob you're cross." So Baby ran to him, and said, "Dear little mannikin!--It's nothing--only you mustn't bother with questions just now about things you can't understand." And she sat down, and took him on her lap, and comforted him. And mannikin leaned his head on her shoulder, and said, very sniffy, "Lub me," for he was a sentimental little thing.