Part 23 (2/2)

”Huh!” sniffed Christopher in his most superior manner, ”I just guess there's not any danger of me drownin'. I can swim. You just ask Perk if I can't.”

”Well, that's nothing to be so smart about. I could swim, too, if I chose to learn. Girls are just as clever as boys, every bit, only they don't like such silly things.”

”The things a girl likes are heaps sillier,” retorted Christopher.

”Fairies and dolls! Ho! There aren't any such things as fairies, and who'd play with a doll? An old painted thing stuffed with sawdust!”

Jane's face grew red and her eyes filled with tears.

”You have always been glad enough to play with dolls and to talk about fairies when you hadn't got any horrid boys around,” she said slowly.

Then her injured feelings overcame her and she ran to her grandmother and buried her face on her shoulder.

”Oh, grandmother,” she sobbed, ”Kit doesn't love me any more. He talks to me like other boys talk to girls. I always thought Kit and I would be just alike forever and ever, but we ain't-aren't, I mean-and it's all Billy Carpenter's fault!”

Grandmother whispered comforting words in the little girl's ear, and stroked her hair until Jane's storm of tears was over. Christopher stood by in awkward silence. He felt sorry and a little taken aback, for he had not really meant to hurt his sister's feelings.

”I didn't mean to be a beast, Jane,” he said. ”I'm sorry I said that about your dolls. Stop crying, do, there's a good fellow. I'm sorry, honest Injun. I'll-I'll stay home!” he gulped heroically, ”and play I'm Oberon or Puck all the afternoon; or I'll doctor Sally through the scarlet fever. Stop crying, I say.”

Jane lifted a tear-stained face.

”I don't want you to stay home,” she said cruelly. ”I am glad you've got something to do, 'cause I was only staying home to keep you company.

I've got another engagement for this afternoon,” and lifting her little square chin loftily, she walked out of the room.

So occurred the first real break between the twins. Jane's tender little heart reproached her the minute she had closed the door.

”I was rude to him when he was trying to make up,” she thought miserably. ”I wish I hadn't. And he's going to be gone all the whole afternoon! I hope it won't spoil his picnic with grandfather.”

Just as grandmother and Jane were about to start, Letty appeared in the pony carriage to take them. Grandmother decided, therefore, to let Jane go back with Letty and she could follow later. But she remembered some jelly that she wished to send to Mrs. Hartwell-Jones and asked the children to wait while she had it packed. Jane was glad of the delay, for she wanted a chance to make up with Christopher if possible, and he had gone down to the stable to help Perk harness the horse. They drove up presently, Christopher looking so supremely happy that Jane was obliged to acknowledge that her unforgiving words had not altogether spoiled his afternoon.

”Good-bye, Kit, I hope you'll have a good time,” she said a little wistfully.

”Thanks, Janey; wish you were going along,” replied Christopher graciously. ”But girls can't do everything that boys can, you know. Some day we'll have a picnic for the ladies, won't we, grandfather?” he added politely.

Grandfather kissed Jane and lifted her into the pony carriage beside Letty.

”Have a nice time at the author-lady's, little Jane, and if you miss Kit very much, just let me know and I'll make him go along next time to rock your baby to sleep. He's not a man quite yet, you know.”

”He thinks he's awful smart, though,” she replied to her grandfather, and stuck out her tongue resentfully at Christopher over Mr. Baker's shoulder.

”Just the same, you're not allowed to go alone,” she taunted.

Christopher refused to have his spirits damped.

”Grandfather is only going so that I can show him how well I know how to swim. And he's not so bad as having girls tagging along,” he answered coolly.

And grandfather felt that the ap.r.o.n-strings were indeed untied!

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