was reflecting
hard.
"Miss Wamsay's a poor sort," she thought. "I aren't going to twouble
'bout anyone like her, but I must get that arrow made. The bow is
beautiful, but I can't do nothing 'cos I hasn't got an arrow."
At this moment, to her great delight, she saw Apollo coming to meet
her.
"There you is!" she shouted.
"What do you want with me?" asked Apollo.
"Look at my bow, 'Pollo! Aren't it beautiful? Aren't I just like the
weal Diana now?"
"Did you make this bow all by yourself?" asked Apollo.
"Yes; why shouldn't I?"
"Well, it's awfully crooked."
"Is it?" said Diana; "I thought it was beautiful. Can you stwaighten
it for me a little bit, 'Pollo?"
"I think I can make you a better bow than this," answered Apollo.
"Oh, can you? What a darlin' you is! And will you cut an arrow for me,
and will you make it very sharp? Will you make it awfu' sharp? The
kind that would pwick deep, you know, that would cut into things and
be like the arrow that the gweat Diana used."
Apollo was finding his afternoon somewhat dull. He had made no friends
as yet with the little Dolman children. Orion had disappeared with
both the boys; Iris was with Ann, Lucy, and Mary; he had been thrown
for the last hour completely on his own resources. The sight,
therefore, of Diana, with her flushed face and bright eyes and
spirited manner, quite cheered the little fellow. He and Diana had
often been chums, and he thought it would be rather nice to be chummy
with his little sister to-day.
"I may as well help you," he said, "but, of course, Di, you can't
expect me to do this sort of thing often. I shall most likely be very
soon going to school, and then I'll be with fellows, you know."
"What's fellows?" asked Diana.
"Oh, boys! Of course, when I get with boys, you can't expect me to be
much with you."
"All wight," answered Diana. "I hope you won't get with no fellows
this afternoon, 'cos you is useful to me. Just sit down where you is,
and help me to make a bow and arrow."
Apollo instantly seated himself on the grass, and Diana threw herself
on her face and hands by his side. She raised herself on her elbows
and fixed her bright black eyes on her brother's face. She stared
very hard at him, and he stared back at her.
"Well," she said, "isn't you going to begin?"
"Yes," he replied; "but what do you want the bow and arrow for?"
"To get my enemies shotted."
"Your enemies? What folly this is, Di. You have not
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