Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/169

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KING WINTER.
149

that night. “We just flew all ways at once. But it’s thawing so fast that we can’t try it again soon.”

And, in her secret thoughts, Bess was thankful that it was so.

Then came a week when it seemed as if the winter were a thing of the past. The snow melted quickly, and the ground settled so thoroughly that, when Saturday came round again, and it dawned warm and bright, Rob came in and invited Bess to play tennis with him. So through the whole March afternoon they played in the sunshine, while Fred, glad to he out once more, either wandered slowly up and down, or lounged on the lawn seat near them.

“I’ll tell you what, cousin Bess,” said Rob, as he took down the net, “I’ll play an hour Monday noon, if you want to.”

“Let me see,” said Bess. “I’ve promised to go to walk with Fred in the afternoon, but I think I can play. Will you have time before school?”

“I’ll hurry and eat my dinner, and we can play a little, anyway. Come on, Fred,” and they went into the house.