“Dear me, I guess not,” said Alice. “I don’t see how we could!”
“Then will you give me a box?” he asked, running back in the yard till he stood right under the balcony. “We’re going to get some rabbits, John and I are, and we want a box for their home.”
“Come on over and see which one you want,” suggested Alice, “and I’ll ask father.”
Ed and his brother John lost no time climbing over the fence and inspecting the boxes. By the time Alice brought Mr. Merrill, he had picked out just the one he wanted and was very grateful when it was given him for his own.
“Don’t you want to come over and see ’em make the rabbit house?” suggested Frances shyly. “Oh, maybe you’re busy.”
“I’m sure we can come,” replied Alice, “because mother just told me she wished we’d get some fresh air.” So Alice and Mary Jane followed the others to the back yard and helped hold nails and boards and make the rabbit house. When it was nearly finished the children’s mother, who proved to be very charming Mrs. Holden, came out with a plate of cookies and a welcome for the two little strangers.
“Thank you for the cookies,” said Mary Jane politely, “but we’re not strange—that is, not any more, we aren’t, we know each other—all of us do!”
And so it really seemed to all the children. They were friends from the first day and making the rabbit house was just the beginning of many nice times in that friendly back yard.