Free Tennis Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

money in the tennis house.’
    â€˜For why?’ said Annie, going on mixing.
    â€˜Well, you see, if I just said I’d put it in the others mightn’t believe me.’
    Annie wiped her hands on her apron.
    â€˜And no wonder. You’re a proper twister. Come on, then, let’s see you do it.’
    Annie could not deny that the two sixpences were real, for she bit them to see. The two halfpennies looked all right. When the money was safely in, Nicky gave Annie half a sheet of paper and a pencil.
    Annie wrote:
    I saw Nicky put 1 s . 1 d . in the tennis house.
    A NNIE .
    It was still half an hour before tea, so Nicky tied the balloon on to the end of her bed and then went out into the garden again. She took The Wind in the Willows to read. She lay on her chest under the plane-tree, and ate the cake she had bought with her twopence. It was a pretence cream cake, so The Wind in the Willows got very sticky.
    Pinny, David, and Nicky had their tea in the garden. Nicky did not want much to eat because she was feeling very full. There was a chocolate cake, so Pinny was suspicious.
    â€˜Spending your pocket-money on cakes, Nicky?’
    Nicky nodded.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Have you any left?’ asked David.
    â€˜Of course not. Why don’t you buy your own? You get a penny every week.’
    Pinny shook her head at her. ‘Now, don’t tempt him, Nicky.’
    â€˜Nicky wasn’t temptin’ me,’ David explained. ‘I’m buyin’ a cow. I’m goin’ in for milk on my farm.’
    Nicky thought proudly of her money safely in the tennis house.
    â€˜You shouldn’t buy cows or anything else,’ she said severely, ‘until you’ve put your sixpence halfpenny in the tennis house.’
    David nodded.
    â€˜Six pennies and one halfpenny to be put in before Jim comes.’
    â€˜Do you know when that is, dear?’ Pinny asked.
    David was only half listening.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Two weeks and three days.’ Pinny smiled happily. She picked up the tray and carried it back into the house. It was nice to think of dear Jim home. She did hate any of the children being away.
    â€˜Two weeks and three days, and that, my good boy,’ said Nicky, ‘means you’ll only get two more pennies before then.’
    â€˜Will Jim be here after only two more Saturdays?’
    Nicky wriggled happily. It was nice to see someone else bothered when she had just got out of her difficulties so well herself.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Oh, my goo’ness!’ David looked most upset. ‘I didn’t never know it was now.’
    â€˜Well, it is,’ Nicky gibed. ‘You’ll look awful if you haven’t got it, because you promised. Dreadful things happen to children who break promises.’
    David’s eyes opened wide.
    â€˜What sort of drefful things?’
    Nicky tried to think of something very frightening.
    â€˜Bears and wolves eat them. The bears eat them out of doors, and the wolves come pad-pad-padding up the stairs after they’re in bed.’
    David looked at her doubtfully.
    â€˜You’re teasin’,’ he said, but not with much conviction. ‘There aren’t bears and wolves in England.’
    Nicky paused while she thought out an answer.
    â€˜Not always there aren’t,’ she agreed at last. ‘They just come when children break promises.’
    At this moment Pinny came out to fetch the rest of the tea-things. David turned to her.
    â€˜Are there bears and wolves ever in England, Pinny?’
    Pinny looked at once at Nicky.
    â€˜Now, Nicky, what’s this you’ve been saying? Of course not, David. Nicky’s a naughty girl, making things up just to frighten you.’ She turned to Nicky. ‘Now you can help me to carry the things in. Evidently it’s a case of “Satan finding mischief for idle hands.”’
    Nicky picked up a plate.
    â€˜It wasn’t my hands—it