"I'm seven," said Hughie, "and a good bit of eight as well."
There was a pause as they passed through the gate on to the terrace walk; the house was visible now, looking large and sleeping, with its shuttered eyes.
"We'd better walk on the grass, because of gravel noises," advised Hughie. "I shouldn't make it, but you do. And look here, it's no use you trying to get on the yawl again, because she'll be locked up."
"Why?"
"I shall tell Addie to lock her. He'll see the dinghy has been shifted; he's simply bound to."
Now this was obvious. The girl could not deny it, and an angry light made her brown eyes look reddish as she turned a quick glance on the boy. She checked speech though.
Hughie looked back at her curiously.
"What did you want to do?" he asked.
It appeared that she considered whether to answer or not, and then took the resolution to say something anyway.
"I wanted to go somewhere."