Edith Nesbit

'We can't take everything,' Mother told them. 'Just the necessary things. We have to play "being poor" for a while.' On their last night in the house, Peter had to sleep on the floor, which he enjoyed very much. 'I like moving,' he said. 'I don't!' said Mother, laughing. Bobbie saw her face when she turned away. 'Oh, Mother,' she thought. 'How brave you are! How I love you!'

'lt's my birthday, and she doesn't want me to know she's unhappy,' thought Bobbie. 'Well, I won't know, I won't know.'

But Bobbie was watching her mother's face as the old gentleman walked away. It was a sad, tired face. 'She's thinking about Father,' thought Bobbie.

Then Peter had an idea. 'Perks is nice to everybody,' he said. 'There must be lots of people in the village who will want to help us give him a nice birthday. Let's ask everybody.'
Bobbie wasn't sure. 'Mother said we weren't to ask people for things.'
'Not for ourselves,' said Peter. 'It's all right to ask for other people. I'll ask the old gentleman, too.'
So they went to the village. Some people were kind, and some were not.
'It's my birthday tomorrow,' said old Mrs Ransome at the Post Office. 'Nobody will remember mine. Why should I give anything to Perks? Go away!'
But other people gave things-a pipe, a tin of tea, a walking stick- and others promised to give small presents, too.