“Being late for such a reason as that is excusable,” said Aunt Charlotte.
“You, also, were late, Arabella.”
“I had to help my Aunt Matilda,” said Arabella, as glibly as if it had been true.
“Oh, oo! That's a fib!” whispered Reginald, but Arabella did not hear him.
Aunt Charlotte said nothing, but she thought it strange that Arabella's aunt should have detained her. Surely the maid could have given all necessary assistance, rather than force the little daughter of the house to be late at school.
Reginald had longed to peep over that wall, but he dared not linger. What had Arabella been doing? He determined to wait until he had a fine chance, and then he would look over that wall. He believed that she had hidden something there. He would not tell the other girls, for they might tell Arabella.
At recess time he asked Aunt Charlotte if she had found his ball.
No, the ball was not in the room.
“I think you must have been mistaken,” she said, “the ball must be at your home.”
“Truly I had it here,” the boy insisted, “I left it on my desk.”