to see him painting."

"I wonder if he'll let Rose watch him?" said Polly.

"There'd be no fun in going if she couldn't see him paint," declared
Leslie "and if I were Rose, I WOULD watch him, if I had to peep when he
wasn't looking."

"Oh you WOULDN'T!" said Vivian.

"I WOULD," said Leslie firmly, and Vivian did not reply.

"I wonder what her Aunt Lois will wear?" said Polly. "All of the
portraits in our drawing room are young ladies in lovely gowns, with
flowers in their hair, and jewels, many, many jewels, and plumes, and
fans. Her Aunt Lois wouldn't wear such things as that!"

They wondered much about the portrait, and decided to question Rose
regarding it.

"And now," said Polly, "I'll lay these letters on the table in the hall.
I can read them later. We'll play."

It was easy to choose a game. The first choice, when the little
playmates were at Sherwood Hall, was always "Hide-and-Seek."

There were such fine places for hiding, so many odd nooks where no one
would ever think of looking that the game seemed always new, and
interesting.