“Your punishment doesn’t seem very hard to bear,” said Aunt Nine, looking quizzically at the children.
“Oh, yes it is, Auntie,” said Dick. “We’d ever so much rather run out of doors in this sunshiny day, and save the playhouse for a rainy day. Truly, we feel the punishment very much.”
It somehow seemed to Dick’s queer little brain that it was rude to defraud Aunt Penninah of her rights. She had evidently expected them to repine at being kept indoors, and though they hadn’t exactly done that, she was entitled to know that they really were feeling the punishment. And it was quite true. Both he and Dolly would have gladly postponed the playhouse fun, to scamper out for a run in the garden. Aunt Nine nodded a sort of approval.
“You’re an honest little chap, Dick,” she said; “I’m beginning to like you.”
“Don’t you like Dolly, too?” asked Dick, with the air of one merely seeking information.
“Yes, I like you both. If you’d be a little more thoughtful, and——”
“Oh, we’re going to learn to think,” said Dolly. “Auntie Rachel is going to teach us.”
“I wish her joy of her task,” said Aunt Penninah, but her eyes twinkled just a little mite, and the twins began to think she was really not such an ogress as she had seemed at first.
After dinner they all went up to the playroom, and found the playhouse well placed, in a corner between two windows.
“Oh,” cried Dolly in rapture, as she saw the boxes full of furniture, and the bundles of carpet.