Her patience was soon rewarded. The youth struggled bravely with his bashfulness, and presently turned to her.
“It hath stopped raining,” he said.
Peggy’s dimples came suddenly, and her eyes twinkled, but she answered demurely:
“It hath, Friend Fairfax, for which I am glad. It was a severe storm. Did thee get very wet?”
“Yes,” he answered. “It rained hard.”
“Oh, dear!” thought the girl. “Will he never have anything to say except about that rain? I wonder what Betty would do? Such a nice lad should be broken of his shyness.” Then aloud: “And Star, friend? Is she all right?”
“Yes. Didn’t seem to mind it a bit, after the first scare. Did you get wet?”
“Yes. Monstrously so,” replied Peggy, surprised that he was doing so well. “He won’t need any help if this continues,” was her mental comment. Then, “Mrs. Washington gave me some of Lady Washington’s daughter’s clothes to wear. They just fit me. Was she not kind?”
“Very,” he answered briefly. “If—if getting wet always makes you look like you do to-night you had better get wet every day,” he blurted out abruptly, and then turned from her decidedly, blushing furiously.
Peggy caught her breath at the suddenness of the thing, and colored also.