As for the couple under the sun-shade—they, too, were so surprised for a few moments that they could say nothing. Then, noticing how worried and ashamed the children were, the lady said:
“It’s all right, my dears! No harm done at all. I suppose you were playing tag, and you ran so fast you couldn’t stop before bumping into our umbrella.”
“Yes, we’ll forgive you,” added the man. “I used to play tag myself when I was a boy. Once I bumped into a cow!”
Ted laughed a little at hearing this, but Janet still looked worried and serious.
“Don’t take it so to heart, my dear,” said the lady. “It was an accident. We know you couldn’t help tipping over our umbrella.”
“Oh, but it wasn’t an accident!” exclaimed Janet. She knew that she and her brother must tell the truth.
“It wasn’t an accident?” questioned the lady. “Why——”
“We did it on purpose!” added Ted, making up his mind that he must do his share of explaining.
“You did it on purpose!” murmured the man, and the laughing smile vanished from his face and something like a frown took its place.
“But we didn’t mean to do it to you!” Janet hastened to say. “We didn’t know you were under the umbrella.”