“Run along the seam, across the bottom, around the corner and up one side a little less than one-quarter inch from the edge beside the basting. Take tiny steps close together,” he said, “and fasten the thread well at beginning and ending.” When this was done and Baster and Large Runner were resting in the pincushion on the table, Margaret pulled out the bastings and turned the little bag wrong side out. “Run your finger all along the seam inside to push it well out to the sewing. Now baste the seam a little more than a quarter inch from the edge, so there will be no raw edges showing on the finished felled seam,” the King said. “Is this a felled seam?” Margaret asked. “Yes, it is a French fell,” Sir Bodkin said. When the seam was basted, Sir Bodkin asked Large Runner to come and back-stitch it. “It must be sewed good and strong to stand the strain of holding heavy marbles,” said Sir Bodkin. With Margaret’s right fingers holding him, Large Runner went to one end of the seam, at the corner of the bag, and began to step along, singing: [Illustration: Back-stitching] “With three steps to start I fasten the thread. My toe goes in towards you, Comes out one stitch ahead. Now backward I step, Just one stitch long, Step in and step out Like the first of this song. I am coming towards you All the time, you can see, And making the stitches As close as can be.” Across the bottom, around the corner, and up the side they went, busily sewing the seam good and strong. At the end the thread was fastened with three steps on one spot, and then the basting-thread was pulled out. “One side of back-stitching looks very pretty while the other looks something like a chain,” said Sir Bodkin, “but when done properly it’s as strong as machine-stitching, and as near to it as we can do.” [Illustration: Basting and hemming casing on inside of bag] [Illustration: Finished bag] Margaret was told to turn down the top of the little bag one-quarter inch for the first turn and three-quarters inch for the second turn. Then Baster stepped down this casing for the drawing-string so Large Runner could hem it down to stay. When done, Margaret turned the bag right side out. On the fold side of the bag Sir Bodkin showed her how to cut a half-inch slit up and down in the casing. This she blanket-stitched with blue thread to cover up the raw edges. [Illustration: Eyelet for casing] “The drawing-string goes in and out here,” he said. “You need only one in a marble-bag. A shoe-lace will be strong enough.” Margaret found an odd one of Jim’s.