Selected Stories by Katherine Mansfield Read Free Book Online

noise?—that Lottie looked quite alarmed.
    â€œI’ll be a sheep,” said little Rags. “A whole lot of sheep went past this morning.”
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œDad heard them. Baa!” He sounded like the little lamb that trots behind and seems to wait to be carried.
    â€œCock-a-doodle-do!” shrilled Isabel. With her red cheeks and bright eyes she looked like a rooster.
    â€œWhat’ll I be?” Lottie asked everybody, and she sat there smiling, waiting for them to decide for her. It had to be an easy one.
    â€œBe a donkey, Lottie.” It was Kezia’s suggestion. “Hee-haw! You can’t forget that.”
    â€œHee-haw!” said Lottie solemnly. “When do I have to say it?”
    â€œI’ll explain, I’ll explain,” said the bull. It was he who had the cards. He waved them round his head. “All be quiet! All listen!” And he waited for them. “Look here, Lottie.” He turned up a card. “It’s got two spots on it—see? Now, if you put that card in the middle and somebody else has one with two spots as well, you say ‘Hee-haw,’ and the card’s yours.”
    â€œMine?” Lottie was round-eyed. “To keep?”
    â€œNo, silly. Just for the game, see? Just while we’re playing.” The bull was very cross with her.
    â€œOh, Lottie, you are a little silly,” said the proud rooster.
    Lottie looked at both of them. Then she hung her head; her lip quivered. “I don’t not want to play,” she whispered. The others glanced at one another like conspirators. All of them knew what that meant. She would go away and be discovered somewhere standing with her pinny thrown over her head, in a corner, or against a wall, or even behind a chair.
    â€œYes, you do , Lottie. It’s quite easy,” said Kezia.
    And Isabel, repentant, said exactly like a grown-up, “Watch me , Lottie, and you’ll soon learn.”
    â€œCheer up, Lot,” said Pip. “There, I know what I’ll do. I’ll give you the first one. It’s mine, really, but I’ll give it to you. Here you are.” And he slammed the card down in front of Lottie.
    Lottie revived at that. But now she was in another difficulty. “I haven’t got a hanky,” she said; “I want one badly, too.”
    â€œHere, Lottie, you can use mine.” Rags dipped into his sailor blouse and brought up a very wet-looking one, knotted together. “Be very careful,” he warned her. “Only use that corner. Don’t undo it. I’ve got a little star-fish inside I’m going to try and tame.”
    â€œOh, come on, you girls,” said the bull. “And mind—you’re not to look at your cards. You’ve got to keep your hands under the table till I say ‘Go.’”
    Smack went the cards round the table. They tried with all their might to see, but Pip was too quick for them. It was very exciting, sitting there in the washhouse; it was all they could do not to burst into a little chorus of animals before Pip had finished dealing.
    â€œNow, Lottie, you begin.”
    Timidly Lottie stretched out a hand, took the top card off her pack, had a good look at it—it was plain she was counting the spots—and put it down.
    â€œNo, Lottie, you can’t do that. You mustn’t look first. You must turn it the other way over.”
    â€œBut then everybody will see it the same time as me,” said Lottie.
    The game proceeded. Mooe-ooo-er! The bull was terrible. He charged over the table and seemed to eat the cards up.
    Bss-ss! said the bee.
    Cock-a-doodle-do! Isabel stood up in her excitement and moved her elbows like wings.
    Baa! Little Rags put down the King of Diamonds and Lottie put down the one they called the King of Spain. She had hardly any cards left.
    â€œWhy don’t you call out, Lottie?”
    â€œI’ve forgotten what I am,” said the