During the summer the cows were in the pasture day and night, but in the winter they occupied this room. Then the tables were removed, but the place was kept very neatly. This was necessary, for the stable adjoined the house, and the party passed into the barn through a door in the cow-stable.
All except the two boys. Will hung back and motioned to Martin not to go into the barn.
"I am tired of this sort of thing," he said. "Let us go and sail our boats."
"Very well," said Martin, "I'll call the girls."
"No," said Will; "there are too many of them. They'll only be in the way. They'll have a good time together, and we'll have some fun by ourselves."
Martin seldom dissented from Will's decisions, so the two boys went back into the house to get their ships, and passed out of another door to the bridge and across the stream. They had gone but a short distance when Martin, who had seemed very thoughtful, stopped opposite the mill.
"There is a man in the balcony," he said. "I'll ask him to call to the girls to come. It isn't fair to go without them. You know Greta thought so much of sailing her boat with ours."
"Nonsense," said Will. "She has got other company now. I don't believe they know how to manage their boats, and we will have to help them. Girls always have to be taken care of."
"But," persisted Martin, "you said that Greta was real smart and a first-rate fellow—girl, I mean."
"She is well enough for girls' plays; but what can she know about boats? Come along!"