“What about Vicky?” said Susan.
“Vicky’s got a lamb and an elephant. I took her to the shop, and she chose them herself. Now then, help me out with the hamper, so that nurse and Vicky can come ashore.”
“It’s a very heavy hamper,” said Titty.
“The presents are not,” said the female native. “The presents are very small.”
“Then what’s in the hamper?” said Roger.
“Birthday feast, of course,” said the female native.
“Hurrah, no cooking,” said Susan.
“Aha,” laughed the female native. “I thought you’d get tired of that. But I must say you seem to have managed very well. No illness in the camp?”
“None at all,” said Susan, “and I’m not sick of cooking, but it’s jolly not to have to just for once.”
“Of course we’ve had plague and yellow fever and Black Jack and all the other illnesses belonging to desert islands,” said Titty. “But we cured them all at once.”
“That’s right,” said the female native, “never let an illness linger about.”
They carried the hamper up to the camp. Nurse brought Vicky ashore, and they all wished her many happy returns. Vicky had the elephant with her. She forgot her lamb in the boat, and it had to be fetched later. Vicky liked the elephant better than the lamb because it was smaller. The lamb was so large it was always being put down and forgotten.
The female native opened the hamper. On the top, well wrapped up in tissue paper, was a birthday cake, a huge one with Victoria written in