Sue thought this must be good advice, since it came from both boys. She
was about to sit down near the place where she had slid into the brook,
but Charlie said:

"No, not there! That water's all muddy. Come on down to a clean place."

This Sue did, sitting on the grassy bank and thrusting her feet and legs
into the water up to her knees, splashing them up and down until most of
the mud was washed from her stockings and shoes.

"Now we'll take you home," said Charlie.

"No!" exclaimed Sue. "I don't want to go home!"

"You don't want to go home?" repeated Bunny. "Why not? You have to get
dry things on, Sue! Mother won't scold you for falling into the brook
when it wasn't your fault!"

"I know she won't," Sue said. "But--but--I'm not going in the house
looking all soaking wet! There's company--some ladies came to call on
mother before we went out to play--and they'll see me if I go in the
front door. I'm not going to have them laugh at me!"

"We'll take you in the side door then," offered Bunny.

"That'll be just as bad," whimpered Sue. "They can see me from the
window."

"Well, then we'll go in the back way," Charlie proposed.