And a smile began to dimple about Rose 's mouth , as she remembered her retreat under the bed-cover . Feeling that he had been received with distinguished marks of attention , Steve strolled away with his topknot higher than ever , and Prince Charlie pranced across the room , saying in a free and easy tone , `` Mamma sent her love and hopes you will be well enough to come over for a day next week . It must be desperately dull here for a little thing like you . '' `` I 'm thirteen and a half , though I do look small , '' cried Rose , forgetting her shyness in indignation at this insult to her newly acquired teens . `` Beg pardon , ma'am ; never should have guessed it . '' And Charlie went off with a laugh , glad to have struck a spark out of his meek cousin . Geordie and Will came together , two sturdy eleven and twelve year olders , and , fixing their round blue eyes on Rose , fired off a question apiece , as if it was a shooting match and she the target . `` Did you bring your monkey ? '' `` No ; he is dead . '' `` Are you going to have a boat ? '' `` I hope not . '' Here the two , with a right-about-face movement , abruptly marched away , and little Jamie demanded with childish frankness , `` Did you bring me anything nice ? '' `` Yes , lots of candy , '' answered Rose , whereupon Jamie ascended into her lap with a sounding kiss and the announcement that he liked her very much . This proceeding rather startled Rose , for the other lads looked and laughed , and in her confusion she said hastily to the young usurper , `` Did you see the circus go by ? '' `` When ? Where ? '' cried all the boys in great excitement at once . `` Just before you came . At least I thought it was a circus , for I saw a red and black sort of cart and ever so many little ponies , and -- '' She got no farther , for a general shout made her pause suddenly , as Archie explained the joke by saying in the middle of his laugh , `` It was our new dog-cart and the Shetland ponies . You 'll never hear the last of your circus , cousin . ''
`` But there were so many , and they went so fast , and the cart was so very red , '' began XXXXX , trying to explain her mistake .
Charlie Jamie Rose Steve bed-cover dog-cart olders shyness topknot usurper