"I believe she's forgotten all about it. She won't come for ever and ever so long. I know she won't. And I sha'n't have my boat. And Chris 'll perhaps never give it to me, 'cause I told him I'd be there; and he'll think I don't care. And I can't be there, and I do care! Oh dear!" she wailed dolefully.
"What's wrong?" asked a voice, and a big, plump, rosy girl of fourteen, daughter of a widow lady who lived a little way down the road, stepped in. "I found the door open, so I didn't ring," she said. "Mother has sent a note to your Auntie Millicent, and I'm to wait for the answer. What's the matter, Hecla?"
"Auntie Millicent's out and Auntie Anne's out, and we've got to wait, and I know we shall be late at the bridge-part," explained Hecla in a half-crying voice.
Mildred Smith laughed. She was a good-humoured, thoughtless girl, not much of a favourite with the Miss Storeys, though sometimes in and out.
"What makes you want to be there?" she asked.
And Hecla poured forth her tale.
"Well, that's easily put right. My governess has had to go off in a hurry, so it's a holiday for me. Come along. I'll take you to the river."
"Will you? May we?" gasped Hecla. She looked upon their caller as next-door to grown-up; still she knew that she and Ivy had never been sent out alone with Mildred. And more than that, she remembered Miss Anne's parting command—"You and Ivy will wait here for me. You are not to go out till I return."
Hecla was perfectly well aware that to go with Mildred, in the face of that command, would be wrong. It would be direct disobedience.
But Aunt Anne had not meant to stay away so long; and she had not known that Mildred would come. Hecla was wild to start; and the temptation was terribly strong. It did not seem as if she could say No. Her whole mind was set on having that little boat for her own, and seeing it go under the archway and come out again. She felt as if it were utterly impossible to delay. Chris would soon have to start for afternoon school; and then her chance would be gone. Couldn't she—mightn't she—just this once! Oh, she must, she must do it. Perhaps Auntie Anne wouldn't really be angry. There was still time to catch Chris, but in a few minutes, it would become hopeless.