"Why not?"
"Because Father said I mustn't sit sketching by myself."
"That's a horse of another colour. In that case, why did Aunt Bertha let you get ready?"
"She didn't. She's out, so I couldn't ask her."
"Taking French leave?" chuckled Keith.
"I thought it would be all right if you went too."
Keith groaned in reply.
"We need only walk for five minutes along the road, and then turn into the path through the wood," suggested Aldred. "There's a field of cut corn in front of the cottage; you could sit on the corn and read if you like."
"Not half so cool as here."
"Oh, Keith, you might be nice when it's holidays!" pleaded Aldred. "It's the only time I ever have anybody to go about with. I'm sure I do heaps of things for you; I was playing cricket with you all morning, wasn't I?"