Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/50

36 have considered it pretty hard if she had had to walk to the beach, and Amy lived still farther away.

Brenda had a moment of reflection. Her hour on the rocks had made her very comfortable. She no longer felt hot. The air, of course, had become cooler, a very little cooler, but the sun was still pretty bright.

“It would have killed me to walk down,” said Brenda, “and it isn’t much cooler now. You must let me drive you home; you will, won’t you?” and she looked rather  eagerly at Amy. She had already discovered that Amy was a rather positive young person. She felt that if she disapproved of a thing, she would not hesitate to say so.

“We ’re very much obliged,” replied Amy; “but really we would just as soon walk. It is n’t so very far.”

Fritz was sitting near Amy, and Brenda could see that he gave her arm a little pinch.

“But you might just as well ride,” continued Brenda; “there ’ll be two empty seats in the carriage, and we might have time for a little drive.” Amy’s face began to show signs of relenting.

“Oh, you might say ‘yes,’ Amy,” cried Fritz.

“Well, if you really would like it. Did you get tired coming down?”

“Of course I did. Did n’t you notice how I leaned on you.”

Amy then turned politely to Brenda.

“I would just as soon walk back myself. But I don’t like to refuse anything that would make Fritz more  comfortable.”