But noon came without any signs of clear weather. So, after dinner, Mark Mapes came over to say that his father would let Sam take them next Saturday.
Before Mark went back, Alice, who had been for some time thinking how to pass away the afternoon, went to her mother and whispered: "Shall I tell Mark to ask Abby to come over here this afternoon and play with me?"
"You may, if you wish," replied her mother.
Alice ran to the door, which Mark had by this time reached on his way out, and gave him her message for his sister.
As the house was only a short distance from Mr. Bondy's, Mark was soon back again, trying, as best he could, to hold a big umbrella over Abby's head. He felt very large, but he could not manage the umbrella very well. He was only six years old, and hardly strong enough. Besides, his sister was so much taller than he, that the points of the umbrella often caught in her hood, and nearly tore it from her head.
They were hardly seated before Alice asked her mother if they might not go up garret and play a while. She told them "Yes," and they all started up stairs.
Alice and Maggie stopped a moment in the nursery to get some dolls and other toys, while Abby took little Jimmie by the hand and helped him along.
When they reached the garret they were soon at their play. The old toys were taken from the table, and, with the new ones, made enough to keep them busy all the afternoon.
Mark and Jimmie found some little blocks, and had great sport in building houses out of them, and knocking them down. They also took the cart with one wheel and loaded it with their blocks, and amused themselves in drawing the load from one end of the garret to the other.