[CHAPTER III]
The "Vicarage Dog"
"I WANT to go round by the windmill, Elisabeth."
"I'm afraid there ain't time, Miss Hecla. We haven't got but just an hour."
"Oh, but there is. I know there is. We can run, you know. Do please say yes—there's a dear Elisabeth!"
Hecla looked beseechingly into her companion's round, rosy face and honest eyes. Elisabeth was only sixteen years old, which is not really old, though Hecla looked upon her as very much grown-up indeed. She often wished to be sixteen herself, because she felt that then she would be able to do whatever she liked. Elisabeth had been in Miss Storey's service ever since leaving school at twelve years of age, and she was a careful, dependable girl. She was devoted to Hecla, and loved nothing better than taking the little girl out for a ramble.
"It's a good bit round by the windmill," she hesitated, pulling out her neat metal watch, of which she was very proud, for it had been given to her by Miss Storey on the day when she completed four years in the house.
"We'll race," urged Hecla. "Do, please, come!"
"It's two minutes past twelve, and we haven't got but hardly an hour, Miss Hecla."
"You said that before. Make haste. We're wasting time now—ever so much!"