CHAPTER XI
WILLIAM’S EXTRA DAY
“WHAT’S Leap Year?” asked William.
“It’s a year that leaps,” said his elder brother, Robert.
“It’s Leap Year this year,” said William.
“Who told you?” inquired Robert sarcastically.
“Well, I don’t see much leapin’ about this year so far,” said William, trying to rise to equal heights of sarcasm.
“Oh, go and play Leap Frog,” said Robert scathingly.
“I don’t believe you know,” said William. “I don’t for a minute b’lieve you know why it’s called Leap Year. You don’t care, either. S’long as you can sit talkin’ to Miss Flower, you don’t care about anything else. You’ve not even got any curiosity ’bout Leap Year nor anything else. I dunno what you find to talk to her about. I bet she doesn’t know why it’s Leap Year no more than you do. You don’t talk ’bout anything sensible—you an’ Miss Flower. You——”
Robert’s youthful countenance had flushed a dull red. Miss Flower was the latest of Robert’s seemingly endless and quickly changing succession of grand passions.