“There’ll be a lot of puddles on the way home,” remarked Nan.
“Say, do you know what I’m going to do?” asked Bert, as he saw Danny Rugg and Charlie Mason going out arm in arm, the better to fit under one small umbrella.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to take off my shoes and stockings, and I’ll wade home!” declared Bert.
“Oh, you are not!” cried Nan.
“Yes, I am!”
“I’ll tell mother if you do!”
“Pooh! Won’t she see me anyhow, if I wade home? I tell you it’s better to take off your shoes and stockings than to step in a lot of puddles and get soaked.”
“Well, I’m not going to do that!” said Nan. “It’s too cold!”
“I’m going to. I don’t care for the cold,” decided Bert, and then and there he sat down and took off his shoes and stockings, putting his stockings in his shoes and hanging his shoes around his neck by the laces.