"We did," answered Hal. "We tried to play tag, but it's too muddy to run
off the paths, and it's no fun, staying in one place. We can't play ball,
'cause Mab can't throw like a boy, and I'm not going to play doll with
her."

"I didn't ask you to!" said Mab quickly. "I was going to play doll by
myself."

"Yes, but you'd want me to be a doctor, or something, when your doll got
sick--you always do."

"I should think that would be fun," said Mother Blake. "Why don't you play
doll and doctor?"

"I'm not going to play doll!" declared Hal, and his face looked crosser
than ever.

"Oh, it isn't nice to talk that way," said his mother. "You ought to be
glad if Mab wanted you to be a doctor for her sick doll. But perhaps you
can think of something else--some new game. Just sit down a moment and
we'll talk. Then perhaps you'll think of something. I wonder why it is so
warm to-day, and why there is no danger of anything freezing--not your
faces of course, for I know you wouldn't let that happen. But why is it so
warm; do you know?"

"'Cause it's Spring," answered Hal. "Everybody knows that."

"Oh, no, not everybody," replied his mother. "Your dog Roly-Poly doesn't
know it."