“Don’t forget to come to-morrow to play with us again,” added Kenneth.
“Be sure and bring your dolls,” said Rose to the little girls. “And they shall all play with my Alice under the beech tree.”
You can imagine whether or not the little Prouts promised to come.
CHAPTER III
THE ANTS’ FIRE-ESCAPE
IT was not quite bedtime; for they had tea early at the Island, so that after the fire was lighted in the big chimney the children might have a little hour with the grown-ups for a game or a story, or for whatever pleasant thing might happen.
Kenneth and Rose ran to get their fat cushions, and put them down in the two corners of the hearth. Kenneth’s cushion was red, and he always sat on the right hand of the fireplace. Rose’s cushion was blue, and she sat on the left.
Papa began to poke the fire to make it burn more brightly, for it was not so big and bustling a blaze as usual.
“Somebody forgot to fill the wood-box,” he said. “We need a nice crisp birch log to make the fire crackle. Who wants to run out to the wood-pile and bring one in?”
“I do!” cried Kenneth, jumping up eagerly.
“Oh, I do!” cried Rose, jumping up too.