If it had spoken, there would be no need
for any one else to write of the doings of the V; for the chimney
had silently watched the children day by day, and knew, better
than any one besides, the simple story of their young lives.
"Now," Polly reminded them, as they were running down the stairs
an hour later; "remember to come to-morrow at just three, all of
you."
"What's up?" inquired Alan curiously.
"'Pilgrim's Progress,'" said Jean, as she leaped down from the
fourth stair, and landed in an ignominious pile on her knees;
"we're going to read it aloud together."
"I'm sorry for you, then," responded Alan. "Mother read it to me
when I had scarlet fever, ever so long ago, and it's no end
stupid."
"We're going to try it, anyway," said Polly, with an air of
determination. "Come on, Jean; it's time I was at home. I'll see
you to-morrow, girls."
CHAPTER III.
THE GIRLS TRY TO IMPROVE THEIR MINDS.
Polly's reading-club started off valiantly the next afternoon, and
for an hour the girls read aloud industriously, while the rain
pattered on the shingles above their heads. The experiment had all
the charm of novelty, and the weather was in their favor, since
there was little temptation to be out of doors; so, at the close
of the first day, the reading was voted a great success.
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