A sign on the wall plainly stated that children must not play in the hall, but that did not disturb Floretta.
Deftly she wound the string, and the great top fell to the floor, where it hummed and spun as rapidly as if a boy's hand had flung it.
She picked it up, and again wound it, this time throwing it with even greater force.
"Look! Look!" she cried. "I b'lieve it spins faster every time I throw it!"
Dorothy looked over the baluster at the humming top, but said nothing.
She knew that Floretta had seen the notice; indeed a number of the children had stood in the hall when it had been tacked up.
Looking up at Dorothy, Floretta noticed the whip in her hand.
"Riding?" she asked.
"Yes, for a little while," said Dorothy. "It's a lovely morning, and I mean to see how quickly Romeo will take me to the 'Spring.'"
"I wouldn't care to ride horseback," said Floretta, rudely.