Just then a boy rushed by hotly chased by another. The one in
pursuit tripped on the mallet and fell headlong on the grass.
"Are you hurt? I am so sorry; I did not mean to do it!" she exclaimed
in dismay.
"No, I am not hurt," he replied, sitting up and rubbing the stains off
his hands with his handkerchief. "How did you come to do it anyhow?"
and he gave her a glimpse of a pair of merry brown eyes, and then went
on polishing his hands.
"I don't know," she answered.
"If it had not been for you I could have caught Aleck."
"I am so sorry," Dora said again, in such a mournful tone that the boy
laughed.
"You needn't think I care! Aleck knows I can catch him. Do you like to
run?"
"I haven't tried it very often lately. I think you could catch me,"
she answered.
"I probably could; as a general thing girls aren't much on running,
but you should see Louise!"
"Who is she?" asked Dora.
"She is my sister; I thought everybody knew Louise."
"I don't know any one," was the reply in a mournful tone.
"Don't you really?" Carl asked, sitting up very straight; "and is that
the reason you are over here by yourself?"
"I know Annie a little, but you see I haven't lived here since I was a
baby.
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