"Miss Hoodie," said Martin once more, "you are to walk on with Miss Maudie, do you hear?"
"Yes," said Hoodie, without moving an inch, "I hear, but I won't walk with ugly Maudie."
The Bright family were fast approaching. In despair Martin turned to Hoodie.
"I am obliged to let you walk with me, Miss Julian," she said, solemnly, "because I cannot have every one in the road see how naughty you are. But when we get home I shall speak to your Mamma, and ask her to let you go walks alone. You make us all miserable."
Hoodie took Martin's hand and marched on.
"I should like to go walks alone, werry much," she said, amiably, to which remark Martin did not make any reply.
The Bright family passed them with a friendly word to Martin, saying something in praise of the nice appearance of her little charges. And Hoodie smiled back to farmer Bright, as if she thought herself the best and sweetest-tempered of little girls. Then when they were out of sight, she suddenly dropped Martin's hand.
"I don't want to walk with you. You're an ugly 'sing too," she said. "I like to walk belone, but I would walk with you if I said I would."
And on she marched defiantly, well in front of the whole party. And again poor Martin murmured to herself,—"Was there ever such a child?"
What was Hoodie saying to herself on in front where no one could hear her?