The Billy Little route also seemed hilly. She concluded to try another, and again made a slight movement toward Dic on the log.
"I went from your house this afternoon over to Sukey's." She looked stealthily at Dic, but he did not flinch. After a pause she continued, with a great show of carelessness and indifference, though this time she moved away from him as she spoke. "She said you had been over to see her last night." And to show that she was not at all interested in his reply, she hummed the air of a song and carefully scrutinized a star that was coming dangerously close to the moon.
"Yes, I went over to borrow their adze. Ours is broken," returned Dic.
The song ceased. Star and moon might collide for all the singer cared. She was once again interested in things terrestrial.
"Now, Dic," she cried, again moving toward him and unduly emphasizing the fact that she was merely teasing (she talked to tease, but listened to learn), "now, Dic, you know the adze was only an excuse. You went to see Sukey. You know you did. Why didn't you borrow Kaster's adze? They live much nearer your house." She thought she had him in a trap, and laughed as if she were delighted.
"I went to Kaster's first. They had none."
The girl concluded she was on the wrong road. But the side road had suddenly become interesting, and she determined to travel it a short way. Silence ensued on Dic's part, and travel on the side road became slow. Rita was beginning to want to gallop. If she continued on the side road, she feared her motive might grow to look more like a desire to learn than a desire to tease; but she summoned her boldness, and with a laugh that was intended to be merry, said:—
"Dic, you know you went to see Sukey, and that you spent the evening with her."
"Did she say I did?" he asked, turning sharply upon her.
"Well—" replied Rita, but she did not continue. The Sukey Yates road was interesting, unusually so.