Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/169

Rh that night. “We just flew all ways at once. But it’s thawing so fast that we can’t try it again soon.”

And, in her secret thoughts, Bess was thankful that it was so.

Then came a week when it seemed as if the winter were a thing of the past. The snow melted quickly, and the ground settled so  thoroughly that, when Saturday came round  again, and it dawned warm and bright, Rob  came in and invited Bess to play tennis with  him. So through the whole March afternoon they played in the sunshine, while Fred, glad to  he out once more, either wandered slowly up and  down, or lounged on the lawn seat near them.

“I’ll tell you what, cousin Bess,” said Rob, as he took down the net, “I’ll play an hour Monday noon, if you want to.”

“Let me see,” said Bess. “I’ve promised to go to walk with Fred in the afternoon, but I think I can play. Will you have time before school?”

“I’ll hurry and eat my dinner, and we can play a little, anyway. Come on, Fred,” and they went into the house.