Page:An Old Fashioned Girl.djvu/44

28 Now, I suppose you'll go and tell papa a great story."

"P'r'aps I shall, and p'r'aps I shan't. How Polly did hop when I crowed! I heard her squeal, and saw her cuddle up her feet."

"And you heard us praise your manners, didn't you?" asked Polly, slyly.

"Yes; and you liked 'em; so I won't tell on you," said Tom, with a re-assuring nod.

"There 's nothing to tell."

"Ain't there, though? What do you suppose the governor will say to you girls going on so with those dandies? I saw you."

"What has the Governor of Massachusetts to do with us?" asked Polly, trying to look as if she meant what she said.

"Pooh! you know who I mean; so you needn't try to catch me up, as grandma does."

"Tom, I'll make a bargain with you," cried Fanny, eagerly. "It wasn't my fault that Gus and Frank were there, and I couldn't help their speaking to me. I do as well as I can, and papa needn't be angry; for I behave ever so much better than some of the girls. Don't I, Polly?"

"Bargain?" observed Tom, with an eye to business.

"If you won't go and make a fuss, telling what you'd no right to hear—it was so mean to hide and listen; I should think you'd be ashamed of it!—I'll help you tease for your velocipede, and won't say a word against it, when mamma and granny beg papa not to let you have it."