“Only the splashes,” said Maisie a little doubtfully. “Tuvvy said you got splashed all over. Aunt Katharine mightn’t like me to spoil my frocks.”
“As to that,” said Dennis, “you could wear a big apron. Painters always do. Hulloa! it’s raining!”
So it was. The bright sunshine had vanished, and the sky was downcast and grey. First it rained gently, then faster, then it made up its mind in good earnest, and a regular downpour of drops pattered on the hedges, and fell softly on the dusty roads.
“How pleased old Sally will be,” said Maisie, “because of the greens!”
“P’r’aps we’d better go in somewhere,” said Dennis, looking at his sister’s frock; “you’re getting awfully wet, and we haven’t got an umbrella.”
They were just passing Dr Price’s lodgings. Snip and Snap, who stood at the gate snuffing up the moist fresh air with their black noses, wagged their stumpy tails in a friendly manner to the children, and growled at Peter at the same time.
“You go in,” continued Dennis, hurrying his sister up to the door, “and I’ll run home and fetch umbrellas and cloaks for you. Aunt Katharine always says you’re not to get wet.”
Maisie would much rather have gone on with Dennis, and did not mind the rain a bit; but it was quite true that Aunt Katharine did not like her to get wet. So she yielded, and stood waiting in the little porch for the door to be opened, while Dennis sped up the road, and was soon out of sight.
“Come in, dearie, and welcome,” said Mrs Budget, the doctor’s landlady, when Maisie had asked for shelter, “and I’ll just get a clean cloth and take off the worst of the damp.”
She led the way to a very clean kitchen, talking all the while, and flapped vigorously at Maisie’s skirt with a towel.