Five Children and It

Opening of the book

FIVE CHILDREN
AND IT
BY
E. NESBIT
Author of "The Treasure-seekers,"
"The Would-be-goods," etc.
ILLUSTRATED
Emblem
NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY
1905
Copyright, 1905, by
Dodd, Mead and Company
Published October, 1905
The Psammead
The Psammead
TO
JOHN BLAND

My Lamb, you are so very small,
You have not learned to read at all;
Yet never a printed book withstands
The urgence of your dimpled hands.
So, though this book is for yourself,
Let mother keep it on the shelf
Till you can read. O days that pass,
That day will come too soon, alas!
NOTE
Parts of this story have appeared in
the Strand Magazine under the title of
"THE PSAMMEAD."
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
PAGE
I    Beautiful as the Day
1
II    Golden Guineas
36
III    Being Wanted
70
IV    Wings
108
V    No Wings
141
VI    A Castle and No Dinner
159
VII    A Siege and Bed
183
VIII    Bigger than the Baker's Boy
203
IX    Grown Up
236
X    Scalps
261
XI    The Last Wish
287

ILLUSTRATIONS
The Psammead
Frontispiece
That First Glorious Rush Round
the Garden
Facing page
2
Cyril Had Nipped His Finger in
the Door of a Hutch
"
"
4
Anthea Suddenly Screamed, "It's
Alive!"
"
"
12
The Baby Did Not Know Them!
"
"
28
Martha Emptied a Toilet-jug of
Cold Water Over Him
"
"
32
The Rain Fell in Slow Drops on to
Anthea's Face
"
"
36
He Staggered, and Had to Sit Down
Again in a Hurry
"
"
50
Mr. Beale Snatched the Coin, Bit
It, and Put It in His Pocket
"
"
58
They Had Run Into Martha and the
Baby
"
"
64
He Said, "Now Then!" to the
Policeman and Mr. Peasemarsh
"
"
66
The Lucky Children Hurriedly
Started for the Gravel Pit
"
"
78
"Poof, poof, poofy," He Said, and
Made a Grab
"
"
86
At Double-quick Time Ran the
Twinkling Legs of the Lamb's
Brothers and Sisters
"
"
88
The Next Minute the Two Were
Fighting
"
"
90
He Snatched the Baby from Anthea
"
"
94

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