She broke off, panting, and stared at Neleus. Her face, already red, grew redder, and she looked extremely indignant.
"You naughty, wicked boy!" she cried. "What are you doing to that poor fish? Don't you know it will die if it stays out of water?"
Neleus raised a marble eyebrow. The Dolphin swung its tail over its mouth to hide a marble smile.
"You see?" said Miss Lark. "It's writhing in agony! You must put it back into water this minute!"
"Oh, I couldn't do that," said Neleus quickly. "I'm afraid he'd be lonely without me." He was trying to be polite to Miss Lark. But the Dolphin was not. He flapped his tail and wriggled and grinned in a very discourteous manner.
"Don't answer me back! Fish are never lonely! You are just making silly excuses."
Miss Lark made an angry gesture towards the green bench.
"I do think, Mary Poppins," she said, "you might keep an eye on the children! This naughty boy, whoever he is, must put that fish back where he got it!"
Mary Poppins favoured Miss Lark with a stare. "I'm afraid that's quite impossible, ma'am. He'd have to go too far."
"Far or near — it doesn't matter. He must put it back this instant. It's cruelty to animals and it shouldn't be allowed. Andrew and Willoughby — come with me! I shall go at once and tell the Lord Mayor!"
Away she bustled, with the dogs at her heels. Willoughby, as he trotted by, winked rudely at the Dolphin.
"And tell him to put his clothes on! He'll get sunburnt, running about like that!" shrieked Miss Lark, as she hurried off.
Neleus gave a little spurt of laughter and flung himself down on the grass.
"Sunburnt!" he choked. "Oh, Mary Poppins, does nobody guess I'm made of marble?"
"Humph!" replied Mary Poppins, snorting. And Neleus tossed her a mischievous smile.
"That's what the Sea Lions say!" he said, "They sit on the rocks and say 'Humph!' to the sunset!"
"Indeed?" she said tartly. And Jane and Michael waited, trembling, for what was surely coming. But nothing happened. Her face had an answering look of mischief and the blue eyes and the marble eyes smiled gently at each other.
"Neleus," she said quietly, "you have ten minutes more. You can come with us to the Bookstall and back."
"And then—?" he said, with a questioning look, as he tightened his arms round the Dolphin.
She did not answer. She looked across the sparkling Lake and nodded towards the pedestal.
"Oh, can't he stay longer, Mary Poppins—?" the children began to protest. But the eager question froze on their lips, for Mary Poppins was glaring.
"I said ten minutes," she remarked. "And ten minutes is what I meant. You needn't look at me like that, either. I am not a Grisly Gorilla."
"Oh, don't start arguing!" cried Neleus. "We mustn't waste a second!" He sprang to his feet and seized Jane's hand. "Show me the way to the Bookstall!" he said. And drew her away through the spreading sunlight and over the grassy lawns.
Behind them Mary Poppins lifted the Twins into the perambulator and hurried along with Michael.
Lightly across the summer grasses ran Jane and the Marble Boy. His curls flew out on the wind with hers and her hot breath blew on his marble cheeks. Within her soft and living fingers the marble hand grew warmer.
"This way!" she cried, as she tugged at his arm and drew him into the Lime Walk.
At the end of it, by the Far Gate, stood the gaily painted bookstall. A bright sign nailed above it said:
MR. FOLLY
BOOKS PAPERS AND MAGAZINES
YOU WANT THEM
I'VE GOT THEM
A frill of coloured magazines hung round the Bookstall; and as the children raced up, Mr. Folly popped his head through a gap in the frill. He had a round, quiet, lazy face that looked as though nothing in the world could disturb it.
"Well, if it isn't Jane Banks and Friend!" he remarked mildly. "I think I can guess what you've come for!"
"The Evening News and Lot-o'-Fun," panted Jane, as she put down the pennies.
Neleus seized the coloured comic and skimmed the pages quickly.
"Does Tiger Tim get away?" cried Michael, as he dashed up, breathless, behind them.
"Yes, he does!" cried Neleus, with a shout of joy. "Listen! Tiger Tim Escapes Clutches of Uncle Moppsy. His New Adventure with Old Man Dogface. Watch Out For Another Tiger Tim Story Next Week!"
"Hooray!" shouted Michael, peering round the Dolphin's shoulder to get a look at the pictures.
Mr. Folly was eyeing Neleus with interest. "That's a fine young whale you got there, sonny! Seems almost 'uman. Where did you catch him?"
"I didn't," said Neleus, glancing up. "He was given to me as a present."
"Fancy that! Well, he makes a nice pet! And where do you come from? Where's yer Ma?"
"She's a long way from here," replied Neleus gravely.
"Too bad!" Mr. Folly wagged his head. "Dad away, too?" Neleus smiled and nodded.
"You don't say! Goodness, you must be lonely!" Mr. Folly glanced at the marble body. "And cold as well, I shouldn't wonder, with not a stitch on your bones!" He made a jingling noise in his pocket and thrust out his hand to Neleus.
"There! Get yourself something to wear with that. Can't go around with nothing on. Pneumonia, you know! And chilblains!"
Neleus stared at the silver thing in his hand.
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
"That's a 'Arf-crown," said Mr. Folly. "Don't tell me you never saw one!"
"No, I never did," said Neleus, smiling. And the Dolphin gazed at the coin with interest.
"Well, I declare! You poor little chap! Stark naked and never seen a 'Arf-crown! Someone ought to be taking care of you!" Mr. Folly glanced reproachfully at Mary Poppins. And she gave him an outraged glare.
"Someone is taking care of him, thank you!" she said. As she spoke she unbuttoned her new white jacket and slipped it round Neleus' shoulders.
"There!" she said gruffly. "You won't be cold now. And no thanks to you, Mr. Folly!"
Neleus looked from the coat to Mary Poppins and his marble eyes grew wider. "You mean — I can keep it always?" he asked.
She nodded, and looked away.
"Oh, dear sweet Sea Lion — thank you!" he cried, and he hugged her waist in his marble arms. "Look at me, Jane, in my new white coat! Look at me, Michael, in my beautiful buttons." He ran excitedly from one to the other to show off his new possession.
"That's right," said Mr. Folly, beaming. "Much better be sure than sorry! And the 'Arf-crown will buy you a nice pair of trousers—"
"Not tonight," interrupted Mary Poppins. "We're late as it is. Now Best Foot Forward and home we go, and I'll thank you all not to dawdle."
The sun was swiftly moving westwards as she trundled the pram down the Lime Walk. The Band at the end of the Park was silent. The flowery sunshades had all gone home. The trees stood still and straight in the shadows. The Park Keeper was nowhere to be seen.
Jane and Michael walked on either side of Neleus and linked their hands through his marble arms. A silence was over the human children and over the marble child between them.
"I love you, Neleus," Jane said softly. "I wish you could stay with us always."
"I love you, too," he answered, smiling. "But I must go back. I promised."
"I suppose you couldn't leave the Dolphin?" said Michael, stroking the marble fin.
Jane looked at him angrily.
"Oh, Michael — how can you be so selfish! How would you like to spend your life, all alone up there on a pedestal?"
"I'd like it — if I could have the Dolphin, and call Mary Poppins a Sea Lion!"
"I tell you what, Michael!" said Neleus quickly. "You can't have the Dolphin — he's part of me. But the Half-crown isn't. I'll give you that." He pushed the money into Michael's hand. "And Jane must have the book," he went on. "But promise, Jane, and cross your heart, that you'll let me read it over your shoulder. And every week you must come to the bench and read me the new Lot-o'-Fun."