“With a pencil; it would be so awful if we upset things on the bed.”

Iris giggled.

“And made all the sheets striped with paint. I have some chalks. The clean sort with proper outsides like a pencil. Could I use those?”

Janet fetched a drawing-book and the chalks.

“What are you going to draw?”

Iris bounced in her bed.

“I’ve had a beautiful idea. You get another drawing-book and we’ll both draw. I’ll tell you what to draw and you tell me.”

Janet fetched the second book.

“You draw a tiger.”

Iris selected a brown chalk.

“And you draw the Holy Ghost.”

“I can’t. I’ve no idea how to start.”

Iris found a yellow chalk and rapidly striped something dimly reminiscent of a tiger.

“I’m not very certain of his face myself, but I know he wears gold boots.”

“Does he?”

“Yes, once me and Mummy went to a church where they acted a play about the Virgin Mary and Bible people. When we came in the play wasn’t ready, and there was a man lying half under some straw that was going to be the stable, and somebody asked what he was going to be, and somebody else said the Holy Ghost. So then I looked very carefully because I’ve often wondered what the Holy Ghost looked like, but all I could see was gold boots. Have you finished? I have!”

“Nowhere near.”

“Then I’ll put in some jungle for my tiger. I was only little when I saw that play, and I went to sleep in the middle, so I never did see the Holy Ghost, for it was all over when I woke up.”

Janet was drawing hard when Donald came in.

“Good morning, Janet. Hullo, invalid, how are you getting on?”

Iris ran a hand over her stomach.

“I’m moving about round here. You know what castor-oil does?”

“I do.” He looked at Iris’ drawing. “A very handsome beast.”

Iris pointed to Janet’s book.

“Let’s see hers. She’s drawn the Holy Ghost.”

Donald’s eyes crinkled at the corners.

“Iris’ choice, I take it.”

Janet held out her page.

“I’ve only drawn a sort of sunset. He’s behind that.”

Iris considered the effort.

“I think that’s rather good. Now draw a water-can with water coming out of it. What shall I draw?”

Donald sat down on the bed, and put an arm round Iris.

“Your mind is like a see-saw, old lady. A water-can indeed! What a come-down! Is the castor-oil going to keep you in bed all day?”

“Yes. What shall I draw, Janet?”

Janet searched her mind for a subject which would take some time.

“A church full of people.”

Donald turned to her.

“I have to go into the town this afternoon for a meeting; I had thought that you might have come to get the stuff you want for Iris.”