But the little girl shook her head.
"No, no," she replied. "I've promised myself—quite promised not."
"There's a reason for you," said Thor. But his tone was more good-natured now. He felt ashamed of being so cross when the little ones were so kind and bright.
"I'll really, truly tell you when you come back from school," said Peggy, and with this assurance the boys had to content themselves.
Miss Earnshaw arrived as usual, or rather not as usual, for she was dripping, poor thing, and had to leave her waterproof downstairs in the kitchen.
"What weather, Miss Peggy," she said, as she came in. "I thought it would be a wet day, but not such a pour. It is unfortunate that I have to go so far to-day, isn't it? And I'm sorry to leave you children alone too."
"Never mind," said Peggy, cheerily; "we'll be quite happy with the soap bubbles. I've got my money quite ready. Mayn't I go and get the pipes now?"
"Out, my dear? In such weather!" exclaimed Miss Earnshaw.
"Oh, but it's quite near," said Peggy. "Just hop out of the door and you're there. The boys always buy their pipes there, and mamma goes there herself sometimes to see the old woman."
"Well, wait a bit, any way. It can't go on raining as fast as this all the morning surely. It's real cats and dogs."