"Yes, but I think perhaps,"—Red spoke doubtfully—"we ought to be going home now."
She was a little mortified to find that he saw the full force of the suggestion.
"Yes, I suppose your mother'll be looking for you."
They both explained, merely to set him right, that this would not be the case, as they had started to Principal Trenholme's picnic.
He asked, with great curiosity, why they were not there, and they explained as well as they could, adding, in a little burst of semi-confidence, "It's rather more fun to talk to you across a fence than sit up and be grand in company."
He smiled at them good-naturedly.
"Say," said he, "if your mother let you stay out, 'twas because you were going to be at the Trenholme party. You're not getting benefit of clergy here, you know."
"We're going;"—loftily—"we're only waiting to be sure there's no more drunken people."
"I was just about to remark that I'd do myself the pleasure of escorting you."
At this they whispered together. Then, aloud—"Thank you very much, but we're not afraid; we're often out as late in papa's fields. We're afraid mamma wouldn't like it if you came with us."