Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/205

Rh edly, with his dimples coming and going, and his eyes sparkling with fun. At her other side sat Fred, with both elbows on the table, and  his chin in his hands, as he listened to Rob’s  merry chatter, and occasionally threw in a  word or two of his own.

“Well,” pursued Rob, with a chuckle, “she hasn’t as much breath as she used to have, but  she always will sing in the hymns, and sometimes it’s pretty hard work for her to keep up. Last night she lost her breath more than common; and once, after she had stopped to puff a minute, she struck in again, full tilt, about an  octave and a half higher than we were, and it  made a most awful noise.”

“Poor old woman!” said Bess, trying to speak soberly, while Fred’s shoulders shook. “You shouldn’t laugh at such old people, Robin. Where’s your chivalry?”

“I can’t help it, cousin Bess. It was too funny to hear her go ‘peep,’ way up high.”

Bess felt her dignity fast collapsing at Rob’s imitation of the high, quavering voice, and, to  change the subject, she said,—

“Fred and I went to the shore this afternoon.”