CHAPTER VI
ROXY MAKES NEW FRIENDS
A sharp whistle brought the dogs to a standstill, and Roxy saw a tall boy come hurrying toward her.
“Lucky I was close by,” he muttered; “those dogs don’t like strangers! Say!” and he smiled approvingly on Roxy. “You had some courage to walk right along toward ’em! How’d you know they wouldn’t eat you up?”
“I guess I was too tired to run away,” confessed Roxy, and before she could say that she had come to visit the little Hinham girls the tall boy exclaimed:
“I’ll bet you’re the little Yankee girl, ain’t you?”
Roxy nodded. She was almost too tired to speak.
“Well, we’re sure glad you came over,” the boy continued, his black eyes twinkling with friendliness as he clasped Roxy’s hand and led her up the rough lane.
“My name is Roland,” he announced, “Roland Hinham, and I’m the oldest of the family, nearly fifteen,” and he smiled again; and the tired Roxy thought the tall boy must be very good-natured; he seemed always smiling.
“My name is Roxana Elizabeth Delfield,” she responded, “and I’m ten years old.”
“You’re older than my sisters. Jasmine isn’t nine yet, and Myrtle is seven, and Ivy about five. They are all little girls,” replied Roland.