“To make a necklace for playing Indian Chief,” explained Davy, climbing
upon Anne’s lap. “He’s got fifteen already, and everybody’s else’s promised, so
there’s no use in the rest of us starting to collect, too. I tell you the Boulters are
great business people.”
“Were you a good boy at Mrs. Boulter’s?” asked Marilla severely.
“Yes; but say, Marilla, I’m tired of being good.”
“You’d get tired of being bad much sooner, Davy-boy,” said Anne.
“Well, it’d be fun while it lasted, wouldn’t it?” persisted Davy. “I could be
sorry for it afterwards, couldn’t I?”
“Being sorry wouldn’t do away with the consequences of being bad, Davy.
Don’t you remember the Sunday last summer when you ran away from Sunday
School? You told me then that being bad wasn’t worth while. What were you
and Milty doing today?”
“Oh, we fished and chased the cat, and hunted for eggs, and yelled at the echo.
There’s a great echo in the bush behind the Boulter barn. Say, what is echo,
Anne; I want to know.”
“Echo is a beautiful nymph, Davy, living far away in the woods, and laughing
at the world from among the hills.”
“What does she look like?”
“Her hair and eyes are dark, but her neck and arms are white as snow. No
mortal can ever see how fair she is. She is fleeter than a deer, and that mocking
voice of hers is all we can know of her. You can hear her calling at night; you
can hear her laughing under the stars. But you can never see her. She flies afar if
you follow her, and laughs at you always just over the next hill.”
“Is that true, Anne? Or is it a whopper?” demanded Davy staring.
“Davy,” said Anne despairingly, “haven’t you sense enough to distinguish
between a fairytale and a falsehood?”
“Then what is it that sasses back from the Boulter bush? I want to know,”
insisted Davy.
“When you are a little older, Davy, I’ll explain it all to you.”
The mention of age evidently gave a new turn to Davy’s thoughts for after a
few moments of reflection, he whispered solemnly:
“Anne, I’m going to be married.”
“When?” asked Anne with equal solemnity.
“Oh, not until I’m grown-up, of course.”