“The edge of the pool,” he replied, “see,” and he put his foot up on the stone rim of the pool, “all the way around on this.”
“Can you?” asked Mary Jane. She wanted to see what he would say before she answered his question.
“Sure!” he replied, “it’s just as easy! Only girls are ’fraidies.”
“I guess I’m not,” declared Mary Jane firmly, “watch!” She stepped up on the stone rim—it was about eight inches wide—and walked boldly along toward the middle of the long side of the pool.
“You can, can’t you,” said the boy admiringly.
“Just as easy,” replied Mary Jane, for when she found she could do what he had asked she was anxious to have it appear to be as easy for her as for him.
“Come on,” the boy suggested, “let’s race!”
“Race?” asked Mary Jane, “how?”
“’Round the pool. You start this way, and I’ll start that way and the one that gets around home first beats.”
“All right,” agreed Mary Jane, “let’s.”