"Wear your sun-bonnet to meeting! I'd stay at home first!"
"I wouldn't stay at home first! But I would like a new bonnet, too. I would go and get it if I thought mother would like it."
"Like it! why, to-be-sure she will! Come along."
With hesitating steps Susie went on. Just before her was the point which her mother had made the limit of her walk. She felt no desire to disobey her mother; but the thought of surprising her by bringing home the new bonnets unexpectedly was quite a temptation. Then it would be so pleasant to have them, too; she wanted to see how they looked very much indeed. Why could she not walk very fast and get back soon? She looked at the sun, to see how much time there would be. It was almost setting; and she exclaimed,—
"Jane! I can't go! See; it is almost sundown!"
"It will be light for two hours. There is time enough; we can run, and get back before dark."
"What if I shouldn't get the bonnets after all? What would mother say?"
"You'll get them fast enough; and, even if you don't, you needn't tell her.
She'll never know it! Come along!"
Jane had said
one word too many now
. The frightened child had done the
best thing she could have done. The idea of deceiving her mother had put
the matter in an entirely new light, and she ran homeward, without one word
of reply, as fast as her little feet could carry her. As soon as she
reached the house she told the story to Annie and Mary, through whom it
soon reached the mother's ears. She had no more occasion to caution her
little girls to avoid Jane Smith.
"How much our mother knows! Don't she, Susie?" said Annie; "she told us long ago that Jane was a naughty girl; but we didn't see how it could be!"