“Hi! Let up!” cried Fred, and aimed the magazine at Randy’s head. Then he leaped up, broke away from his cousin, and vaulted the piazza railing. An instant later he was dashing across the lawn with the others in pursuit.
As the four boys tore over the grass at Valley Brook Farm three girls came from the house to witness what was going on. They were Mary and Martha Rover and their old school chum, Ruth Stevenson.
“Is it a race?” questioned Mary, Fred’s sister.
“No; I think they’re teasing Fred,” answered Martha. “They said something about Fred having a secret.”
“And he has a secret, too,” answered Ruth Stevenson.
“What is it, Ruth?” demanded the other girls quickly.
“Oh, I can’t tell you that—at least, not yet. Fred told me not to say a word about it.”
Across the lawn and down the lane shaded with big trees tore Fred Rover with his three cousins in close pursuit. Then Fred reached the barn, passed through an open doorway, and quickly rolled the door shut behind him.
“Hi, you! Let us in!” cried Jack.