“It’s just horrid!” said Dolly, her tears welling up afresh. “We could have such lovely times together! Playing dolls, and tea-parties, and everything. I think Aunt Rachel is mean!”
“I think so, too,” said Jack Fuller, “and I do believe you could coax her into letting you two girls play together, even if the grown-up ladies don’t make up.”
“Maybe we could,” said Dick, hopefully, but Phyllis shook her head.
“Mother wouldn’t, even if Miss Dana did,” she repeated. “I was a naughty girl to come here at all. I wish I hadn’t; then I wouldn’t have known how nice Dolly was.”
Again the little girls wept, and the boys looked at them helplessly.
“Well, anyway,” said Dick, at last, “I’m going home to have a try at it. I’m going straight to Aunt Rachel and tell her all about it. It may make a difference, now that you girls really have met.”
“All right,” said Phyllis, but she showed no hope of Dick’s success.
“I say,” exclaimed Jack, “let’s all go! I mean, let’s take Phyllis, and all go to Miss Rachel and ask her about it. If she sees the two girls crying to beat the band, it may soften her some.”
It seemed a daring proposition, but the twins approved of it.
“Oh, do,” cried Dolly, eagerly. “Come on, Pinkie, let’s go right now.”