She sprang up with a start, feeling bewildered a second, before she answered. The City Beautiful was such millions—such millions of miles away from Aunt Matilda's barn. She found herself breathing quickly and rubbing her eyes as she heard Robin hurrying up the ladder.
Somehow she felt as if he was rather in a hurry, and when his small, black shock head and wide awake, black eyes appeared above the straw, she had a vague feeling that he was excited and that he had come from another world. He clambered on to the stack, and made his way to her and threw himself full length on the straw at her side.
"Meg!" he said. "Hello! you look as if you were in a dream! Wake up! Jones and Jerry are coming to the barn. I hurried to get here before them. They're talking about something I want you to hear—something new! Wake up! "
"Oh, Robin!" said Meg, clutching her book and coming back to earth with a sigh. "I don't want to hear Jones and Jerry. I don't want to hear any of the people down there; I've been reading the Pilgrim's Progress, and I do wish—I do so wish there was a City Beautiful."
Robin gave a queer little laugh. He really was excited.
