CHAPTER SIX
The Mermaid's Home
THE PARENTS of Mavis, Francis, Kathleen and Bernard were extremely sensible people. If they had not been, this story could never have happened. They were as jolly as any father and mother you ever met, but they were not always fussing and worrying about their children, and they understood perfectly well that children do not care to be absolutely always under the parental eye. So that, while there were always plenty of good times in which the whole family took part, there were also times when Father and Mother went off together and enjoyed themselves in their own grown-up way, while the children enjoyed themselves in theirs. It happened that on this particular afternoon there was to be a concert at Lymington—Father and Mother were going. The children were asked whether they would like to go, and replied with equal courtesy and firmness.
"Very well then," said Mother, "you do whatever you like best. I should play on the shore, I think, if I were you. Only don't go around the corner of the cliff, because that's dangerous at high tide. It's safe so long as you're within sight of the coast guards. Anyone have any more pie? No—then I think I'll run and dress."
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