The old lady at the post office said to Bobbie, Phyllis, and Peter, "You're good little children.
Here's a pram I'm not using.
I bought it for my daughter's first baby, but" he died at six months old.
I'd like Mrs. Perks to have the pram for her baby," she said.
Phyllis hugged the old lady and said, "Oh, Perks will be pleased!"
They packed all the gifts into the pram and took it to Perks' house.
The garden was very tidy.
A jug of daisies sat on the windowsill.
Bobbie knocked on the door.
Mrs. Perks came out.
"We've got some presents for Mr. Perks' birthday," said Peter.
As they unpacked the presents, Mrs. Perks gasped.
She surprised everyone by suddenly bursting into tears.
"Oh don't!" said the children.
Peter said impatiently, "What's the matter?"
Mrs. Perks only sobbed.
The Perks children stood at the door, looking uncomfortable.
There was an awkward silence.
Phyllis and Bobbie patted Mrs. Perks on the back.
She stopped crying and said, "Perks has never had a birthday like this, not even when he was little.
You children are very kind."
Mrs. Perks put the buns and berries on plates.
"Let's hide in the laundry, then come in and surprise Perks," whispered Bobbie.
They quickly ran into the laundry, but there wasn't time to close the door.
They had to push the young Perks children in front of them and all squeeze in together.
"Hello!" Perks called out.
"Isn't this pretty? It's your birthday tea," said Mrs. Perks.
There was the sound of a kiss.
"But what's that pram doing here?" said Perks.
"What are all these things?
Where did you get . . .?"
Mrs. Perks mumbled something.
"I don't care," Perks said angrily.
"We've been fine all these years.
I'm not going to accept charity now!"
"Shh!" said Mrs. Perks.
"The children can hear everything you say!"
"Good! I've got more to say to them!" he shouted.
"Come out! Tell me why you did this!
Did I say I needed anything?
Why am I receiving this charity?"
Perks sat down heavily in a chair and frowned.
"Oh," said Phyllis, "I thought you'd be pleased.
I'll never try to be kind again, I promise."
She burst into tears.
"We didn't mean to make you angry," Peter said.
"It's not what you mean, it's what you do," said Perks.
"But the presents are not all from us.
They're from people in the village," Bobbie said.
"And who asked for them?" said Perks.
"We did," said Phyllis.
"So you've told all the neighbors that we're poor and need charity?" asked Perks.
"Well, you can just take the pram and the gifts and go home."
He turned his chair around so that his back faced the children.
Then suddenly Bobbie spoke.
"The people in the village wanted to give you birthday presents."
Perks slowly turned his chair around to face the children.
He seemed a little less angry.
Bobbie kept talking in a quiet voice.
"The doctor said, 'I'm pleased to give something to Perks.
He always pays his bills.'"
Now Bobbie continued in a louder voice, "And the grocer said, 'Perks works hard.'
And the lady at the post office said that you always—"
"Stop," said Perks suddenly. "I take back every word.
I didn't understand.
I am pleased . . . not just with the presents, but with the kind thoughts of our neighbors.
They're the best presents of all, aren't they, Nell?"
His wife nodded.
Perks looked at the children.
"You'll stay for tea?"
"Yes, please!" they said.