Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/191

Rh eager, curious lads, who, perched on the front fence, were awaiting her coming with loud  denunciations of her tardiness.

“I couldn’t help it, boys. Fuzz wouldn’t let me come any earlier.” And, to the merriment  of the lads, Bess recounted her experiences of  the afternoon, and then asked: “Is aunt Bess  at home, Rob?”

“No; but she said tell you to go right in and make yourself at home. Do hurry up, for we’re awfully curious and can’t stand it another  minute.” And Rob led the way to their pleasant sitting-room.

“Doesn’t Rob know what’s up?” asked Phil, as Bess seated herself deliberately, and the  boys gathered around her.

“Not a blessed thing,” said Bess, disregarding her cousin’s winks begging her to keep silence; “only that I told him to have you  meet me here this afternoon.”

“Oh ho, young lad!” exclaimed Ted, giving his host a sounding thump on the back, “you’re a fraud. Here you’ve been pretending all day you knew what was going on, and you  are as much in the dark now as any of us.”