Sam's off. What a scamper!
Now's the time--here's Miss Fosbrook, lighter-footed than any of the
children, softly stealing on tip-toe, while Hal is scaring Johnnie.
Her fingers just touch Davy's. "Freed! Freed!" is the cry; and off
goes he, pounding for home! but Hal rushes across the path, he
intercepts Miss Fosbrook, and, with a shout of triumph--There is the
sound of a rent. Everybody stands a little aghast.
"It is only the gathers," says Miss Fosbrook good-humouredly. "I'll
tuck them up and sew them in by and by; but really, Hal, you need not
pull so furiously; I would have yielded to something short of that."
"Gowns are such stuff!" said Hal, really meaning it for an apology,
though it did not sound like one, for her good-natured face abashed
him a little.
"Touch and take used to be our rule," said Miss Fosbrook.
Bessie eagerly said that would be the best way, the boys were so
rude; but all the rest with one voice cried out that it would be very
stupid; and Miss Fosbrook did not press it, but only begged in a
droll way that some one would take pity on her; and come to release
her; and so alert was she in skipping towards her allies from behind
the rose-bush, that Bessie presently succeeded in giving the rescuing
touch, and she flew back quick as a bird to the safe territory,
dragging Bessie with her, who otherwise would have assuredly been
caught; and who, warm with the spirit of the game, felt as if she
should have been quite glad to be made prisoner for her dear
Christabel's sake.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56