ou mean right off?" she
queried soberly. "I rather want to go to school a little longer."

"There you are again!" he grumbled. "You can't take anything in
earnest! I may as well go home!"

"But, David, the idea of asking me such a question! And I only
thirteen! Can't you see how silly it is?"

"No, I can't! It's the only way to make sure of you! Some other
fellow will get ahead of me!"

"No other fellow has yet, David." Polly's voice was sweet and
serious.

"Do you mean that," he asked, "honestly?"

"Of course. You know I have always liked you better than any other
boy!"

"You like me, but you love Doodles," he mused.

Polly laughed softly. "Oh, dear!" she sighed, "will nothing
satisfy you? Well, then,"--she was blushing almost to tears,--"I
love you, David! I--I think it's mean for you to make me say
it!--I--love you better than any other boy I ever saw!" She flung
the last words at him with a show of vexation that David could not
withstand.

He grinned.

"And now--you laugh at me!" She sprang up and started past him;
but he caught her in his arms.

"Polly! Polly! Dear Polly!" he said tenderly. "Forgive me! I am
a pig! But to tell me I was mean and that you loved me--all in the
same breath! Now say I'm contemptible--or anything! I'll agree to
it!"

"Well, you ought to--you are!" she half sobbed, half laughed. Her
face was hidden on his shoulder.

Suddenly she threw up her head and started back. "Let me go!" she
whispered. "It is ridiculous to stand here like this." She pulled
away from him and retreated to her chair.

"I don't see why we can't be engaged," said David. "Promise that
you'll marry me, Polly!"

"Oh!" she cried, "I thirteen, and you just fifteen! What a pair of
ninnies we should be! David, if you want to keep me, you must let
me go free! I shall be sixteen when I'm through high school, and
there'll be four years of college. Then--perhaps--! Time enough
for that sort of thing after we're twenty!"

David looked at her with smiling eyes, yet he said, "I'm afraid I
shan't feel very sure of you."

"You're a funny David!" laughed Polly. "I say, let's forget all
this, and just be a boy and girl having a good time!"

"Forget that we love each other, Polly?"

"No, no! but take that for granted, and let it drop!"

"I guess you'll have to teach me how," David laughed.

"All right! Come sing me that song I saw you buying at the music
store the other day!"