Page:Carroll Rankin--Dandelion Cottage.djvu/95

 Rh  "Oh," gurgled Marjory, "what a dinner we'll give Mr. Black and Mrs. Crane. We'll have ice cream and"

"Huh!" said Mabel, "most likely she won't take the room at all. Anyhow, probably she's got tired of waiting and has gone."

"We'll go and see," said Jeaa. "Come on, everybody."

The lady, however, still sat on the hard, lumpy cosey-corner, with her toes just touching the ground.

"Well," said she, smiling at the flock of girls, "how about the idea?"

The other three looked expectantly at Jean; Mabel nudged her elbow and Bettie nodded at her.

"You talk," said Marjory, "you're the oldest."

"It's like this," explained Jean, "this house isn't good enough to rent to grown-ups because it's all out of repair, so they've lent it to us for the summer for a playhouse. The back of it leaks dreadfully when it