"I think I would like to go outside and wait, where I can see the surf; and perhaps the girls would like to go too. My sister and I have not been much used to seeing the surf."
"I never saw it in my life before," added Sue, slipping her hand in Johnny's, while he walked towards the door, as if in fear that this imperative-looking woman would close the door and imprison them in the dark room, where, in spite of the crack in the shutter, they had but a dim view of some stiff chairs, a black sofa, some grim vases on the mantel with dried grasses in them, and a table against the wall, upon which were a few forlornly solitary-looking books, piled in exact order, like prisoners in rows, as they were.
"Yes: it's ever so much pleasanter out of doors," said Julia frankly; and the children were fairly outside the door before Mrs. Shepard could reply.
"Well, you can stay out in the hot sun, if you want to; though I should think you would rather be in this cool room, away from the sun and flies."
The children went out on the doorstep, and basked happily in the sunshine, which was so repugnant to Mrs. Shepard's taste, while that lady went back into the parlor, and closed the shutter.
"Suppose we go and tell Mr. Shepard about Ruth's going home with us," remarked Johnny: "his wife didn't say any thing about telling him, but he might like to know."
The girls having assented to this, Johnny proposed that they should get into the dog-cart, and drive up to the vegetable garden, so as to leave the pony in the shade of the trees by the wood until Ruth made her appearance. So the girls got into the cart, and drove slowly towards Mr. Shepard, while Johnny walked by their side, having left his bicycle near the doorstep. Mr. Shepard stopped hoeing when he saw them coming, and came up close to the stone wall, which was between him and the road, to speak with them.
"How do you do, Julia?" he said. "I see you have got some new company this summer."
"Yes: they live in Mr. Le Bras' cottage; they are his brother's children."
"Oh, yes, I know now! Ruth was a-tellin' me about the boy: his name is John, and he came to the house with Felix the other night. You'd ought to have staid till I got home, young man: I shouldn't 'a' let you gone off in all that rain, or I'd a carried you home in my team. But Ruth she's sort of 'fraid o' doin' somethin wrong, and so she didn't keep you till I got there."