"We thought, in the first place, my little sister had water on the brain, her head was under water so long," explained Preston to the boys; "but she has got over it now, only dreadful cross."  
It was a hard time for everybody when Flaxie was cross. She tried to sew, but her work acted "orfly;" the stitches were "cross-eyed," she said.
 
"I hate my padge-work," cried she, angrily; "I hate it dead!"
 
"Then I wouldn't sew," said kind Ninny. "Come out to the shed, and I'll swing you."
 
That was no better. After swinging a little while, Flaxie happened to fall off a pile of boards, and ran into the house, crying out,—
 
"I swang and I swang; up real high, most up to the sky. Hurt me orfly. Look at my stoggins and see'f I didn't."
 
"Perhaps you'd like to hear a story," said Mrs. Gray, taking the child in her lap.
 
"Yes, tell me a story with a long end to it. Tell about Cindrilla."
 
Mrs. Gray began; and, when she got as far as this,—"Cinderella asked her mother, and her mother said, 'No, Cinderella, you can't go to the party,'" then Flaxie smiled. Somehow she liked to hear about Cinderella's having a hard time: she thought she had a hard time herself. But, when the story was half done, she wanted something else.
 
"You don't tell good stories, mamma. I wish you'd never been made!"
 
"O, how can you talk so to your good mother?" said Ninny, much shocked. "You'd better tell a story yourself, and see if you can do better than she does."
 
"Well, mamma," returned Flaxie, "do you want me to tell a story?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Does God know I'm going to tell it?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Does He know what it is?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Did He always know?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Forever and always?"
 
"Yes."
 
"Well," said Flaxie, puckering¹ up her lips, "I ain't a-goin' to tell it; so now what'll he fink?"
 
Mrs. Gray tried not to smile when Flaxie said such strange things about God; but this time Ninny laughed aloud.
 
"Now, Ninny, you needn't laugh to me," said Flaxie. "I'm going to be mad with you a whole week."
 
"What for?"
 
"'Cause you won't make Pep'mint drop no boots, and that's because."
 
"Seems to me you scold very hard at your sister," said Grandma Pressy. "I think she is a very good sister."
 
Ninny was standing² by the sink at that very moment, washing Peppermint³ Drop's stockings in a pint⁴ dipper; and Flaxie was beside her, cutting soap.
 
"I know what I'll do," thought Ninny, wringing⁵ the suds from her hands. "I'll see mamma alone, and ask her if she won't let Flaxie take my place, and ride to New York this afternoon. Perhaps that will make her feel better."
 
"And would you really like to have her go instead of you?" said Mrs. Gray, looking at Ninny's upturned face, and thinking it was one of the sweetest faces she had ever seen in her life.
 
"Yes'm, I should," said the little girl, earnestly. "I can't bear to have her so cross; and you can't bear it, either, mamma. It almost makes you cry."
 
"But will she be pleasant if she goes to ride?"
 
"I think so, mamma. You know she is generally pleasant when she has her own way."
 
And, indeed, Flaxie's little snarled-up face smoothed in a moment when she heard of the ride.
 
"I'll sit as still as a possible mouse," said she, dancing about her mamma. "I won't trouble papa one bit. Take off my sicking dress, Ninny, and put on my rosy-posy dress. Do it kick."
 
Was she sorry there was not room enough for Ninny,—good Ninny, who did so much to make her happy? O, no: Flaxie herself was to have a fine time; and that was all she thought about it.
 
"Let me hold the reins⁶, Dr. Papa," said she, as soon as she had climbed into the carriage. "I can make the hossy go like a tiger."
 
"You must sit between your mamma and me, Mary Gray, and keep still; or I shall take you back to the house," said Dr. Papa, sternly.
 
"I will keep still," replied Miss Frizzle, in alarm. "I'll keep as still as a possible mouse!"
 
The ride was a very pleasant one. The bright dandelions were gone long ago; but there were plenty of other flowers by the roadside, and the birds in the trees sang gaily⁷.
 
"See 'em fly 'way off up! O Dr. Papa, they touch the ceiling of the sky!" said the "possible mouse."
 
When they reached the city, she wanted to walk the streets by herself, but consented to take her mother's hand. She loved the many-colored windows and the loud noises; but she was happiest of all, when, at five o'clock, her father and mother took her into an eating-saloon, and called for a lunch.
 
She had never been in such a place before.
 
"I want some jelly and cake and pie and puddin' and every thing," said Flaxie, as her papa tapped the little bell.
 
 
"Dry toast for three; tea for two," said Dr. Gray to the waiter.
 
"But I want some nuts," whispered Flaxi............