The younger girl sighed at this, and nodded her head in submission,
but blinked longingly at the big swans and the parti-colored awning
and the red seats.
"I beg your pardon," said Van Bibber, addressing himself uneasily to
the eldest girl with long hair, "but if the little girl would like to
go around in one of those things, and--and hasn't brought the change
with her, you know, I'm sure I should be very glad if she'd allow me
to send her around."
"Oh! will you?" exclaimed the little girl, with a jump, and so sharply
and in such a shrill voice that Van Bibber shuddered. But the elder
girl objected.
"I'm afraid maw wouldn't like our taking money from any one we didn't
know," she said with dignity; "but if you're going anyway and want
company--"
"Oh! my, no," said Van Bibber, hurriedly. He tried to picture himself
riding around the lake behind a tin swan with three little girls from
the East Side, and a lunch basket.
"Then," said the head of the trio, "we can't go."
There was such a look of uncomplaining acceptance of this verdict on
the part of the two little girls, that Van Bibber felt uncomfortable.
He looked to the right and to the left, and then said desperately,
"Well, come along.
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