"Because I'm going to Lang's pond, with Shuttleworth," he explained, "and if Snip went with us he'd for certain spoil our sport by hunting for water-rats and disturbing the fish. He seems to have an idea that I want to get rid of him, for he's keeping as near me as he can, and—"
"Oh, do let me go with you this afternoon!" interposed Kitty, eagerly. "Why can't I?" she asked, as her brother shook his head.
"Well," he said, "it's possible that we may meet Richards, and that he may ask us to his house to tea—that is, if you're not there."
"Then you'd better go your own way!" snapped Kitty, adding under her breath, "Such selfishness!"
"But will you keep Snip with you?" questioned Bob.
Kitty assented. She took Snip into the house, and shut herself into the dining-room with him, feeling deeply aggrieved. Mr. and Mrs. Glanville had gone away for the day, therefore it was exceedingly unkind of Bob, she considered, to go off with Tim Shuttleworth and leave her.
"He makes a great deal too much of Tim," she reflected. "It's all very well to let bygones be bygones, but Bob seems to have forgotten altogether how disgusted he was with Tim at one time, and is making him his chief friend. I haven't such a short memory as Bob."
This was true. Bob had a happy knack of putting anything he wished to forget away from him. But Kitty, though she had agreed never again to mention the ill-turn Tim had done her, often allowed her mind to dwell on it, and the consequence was that she was considerably less genial to him than was her brother.
By-and-bye, when she judged the boys must have taken their departure, she decided to go out with Snip. It had rained earlier in the day, but the weather had cleared about noon, and now the sun was shining brilliantly. It was a really perfect May afternoon.
"I'll get some wild hyacinths for mother," the little girl thought, remembering that she had heard Mrs. Glanville remark at breakfast that they must now be in bloom and she would like some. "And on my way home, I'll pass by Lang's pond and pay the boys a surprise visit. I'll see Snip doesn't interfere with them."