"Who ever heard of any one's running away in a boat?" laughed Mrs. Dallas. "Now be good children, and keep out of the way, for Sylvy and I have a lot to do."
"We'll be good as possible, mamma, but just one more question: are you going to take Bubbles?"
"I hadn't thought of it."
"Oh, do, please; she'd be a lot of help, and she'd simply jump out of her skin if she thought she would be allowed to go."
"Then we'd better let her stay in her skin. She would be very uncomfortable without it, even in this warm weather."
"Please, mamma."
Mrs. Dallas considered for a moment, and then said: "Well, yes, upon the whole, I think it would be rather a good plan, but she must not neglect her work to-day. If she gets through all that she has to do by the time we start she may go, but not otherwise. She will have extra work to-day, because Sylvy is more than usually busy."
"May we help her a little bit? We could clean the knives, and shell the peas."
"I think that would be very kind if you did."