“What clever children you are!” said Rose admiringly.
The little Prouts looked pleased and proud. The three smallest ones stole out from behind Tom and Mary and Sue, and stood in a half circle around Kenneth and Rose.
“Then we had no right to come here at all,” said Kenneth, much mortified. “We were very rude to walk into your house and eat up your berries and wear your shawl. But we did not know. Come, Rose;” and he started for the door.
“Oh, please don’t go!” begged Tom and Mary together. And Susan and Bill and Bob and Jane said, “Please don’t go!”
“Won’t you stay and play Indian hunter, the way you did that day last year?” said Tom eagerly.
“Why, how did you know about that?” asked Kenneth, in surprise. “You were not here.”
“Yes, we were,” nodded Mary. “We were right over there behind the big rock. We watched you all the time.”
“Why didn’t you come and play with us?” said Rose. “It would have been so much nicer with eight of us, instead of two.”
The faces of the little Prouts lighted up joyously. “Oh, would you play with us?” said Tommy.
“We didn’t dare, then,” said Mary shyly. “But now it’s different.”