Part 4 (2/2)
”I'm sleepy; it's frightfully early. If I talk to you, I'll get wide-awake. Can't you just wait in the room for a little?”
”I'm going into the garden, and I'll come back again, Ermie. Eric may be up, and he has promised to show me Shark. I don't believe he has got six rows of teeth.”
”How you chatter, Maggie! Now I'm quite woke up. I'll have a headache most likely this afternoon. I generally do when my first sleep is disturbed.”
”You have had a very long first sleep,” said Marjorie. ”It's half-past six o'clock.”
”Is it? It's all the same to me what the time is; I'm woke up now, and it's your fault. You might be considerate, Maggie; you're the most thoughtless child. If you had sat quietly by my bedside I wouldn't be wide-awake now.”
”Well, what can I do for you now that you are awake, Ermie?” asked Marjorie. ”Please tell me quickly, for I can't keep Eric waiting.”
”Oh, it will be all Eric with you from this out. I might have guessed that.”
”No, it won't. It will be all everybody. Now, what am I to do for you?”
Ermengarde laughed.
”Maggie, don't put on that solemn face. Of course you are a good little thing. Now listen. Last night Basil and I made a plan.”
”O Ermie! Weren't you in luck that Miss Nelson never found out about your wickedness yesterday?”
”My wickedness?”
Ermengarde colored brightly.
”Don't you remember, Ermie? Going in the carriage when Miss Nelson told you not. Of course you were dreadfully wicked, but I'm glad you were not found out. Now, what's the plan?”
”You're so rude and frank, Maggie. It's a horrid habit you have. I had forgotten all about that drive. And now you remind me and spoil my pleasure. You are a tactless creature!”
”Never mind about me. What's the plan?”
”It's this. Dear, I hope the day is fine!”
”Yes, Ermie, it's a lovely day.”
”Well, Basil thinks--are you sure the sky is not cloudy, Mag?”
”No, perfect, not a flake anywhere; go on, Ermie.”
”Jolly! Basil thinks we ought to have a whole holiday to-day--we girls, I mean. He says we might have a picnic, and go up the lake, and land and dine on Pearl Island.”
”Lovely!” said Marjorie, clasping her hands. ”Only Miss Nelson said----”
”That's just it, you always will think first of Miss Nelson.”
”Ermie, you said I thought first of Eric a minute ago.”
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