"
Penhallow knew now why the boy had grinned at him. "I think, Leila, he
will do. Where did he learn to skate?"
"At Vevey, he says, on the Lake."
"Yes, of Geneva."
"Tom McGregor was there and Bob Grace. We played tag. John knows a way to
play tag on skates. You must chalk your right hand and you must mark with
it the other fellow's right shoulder. It must be jolly. We had no chalk,
but we are to play it to-morrow. Isn't it interesting, Uncle John?"
Penhallow laughed. "Interesting, my dear? Oh! your aunt will be after you
with a stick."
"Aunt Ann's--stick!" laughed Leila.
"My dear Leila," he said gravely, "this boy has had all the manliness
coddled out of him, but he looks like his father. I have my own ideas of
how to deal with him. I suppose he will brag a bit at dinner."
"He will not, Uncle Jim."
"Bet you a pound of bonbons, Leila."
"From town?"
"Yes."
"All right."
"Can he coast? I did not ask you."
"Well! pretty well," said Leila. For some unknown reason she was
unwilling to say more.
"Doesn't the rector dine here, to-day, Leila?"
"Yes, but--oh! Uncle Jim, we found a big hornets' nest yesterday on the
log cabin. They seemed all asleep. I told John we would fight them in the
spring."
"And what did he say?"
"He said: 'Did they sting?'--I said: 'That was the fun of it!'"
"Better not tell your aunt.
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