"Why don't you let them get married?" she asked. "You are much too small for her. You wait for me!"
Billy studied her intently. At last he turned to Ammon. "Aw, well! Go on, then!" he said gruffly. "I'll marry Alice!"
Alice reached her hand. "If you got that settled let's put on our Indian clothes, get the boys, and go to the playhouse."
"I haven't got any Indian clothes," said Billy ruefully.
"Yes, you have," explained Alice. "Father got you some coming from the dock. You can put them on in the playhouse. The boys do."
Billy examined the playhouse with gleaming eyes. Never had he encountered such possibilities. He could see a hundred amusing things to try, and he could not decide which to do first. The most immediate attraction seemed to be a dead pine, held perpendicularly by its fellows, while its bark had decayed and fallen, leaving a bare, smooth trunk.
"If we just had some grease that would make the dandiest pole to play Fourth of July with!" he shouted.
The children remembered the Fourth. It had been great fun.
"Butter is grease. There is plenty in the 'frigerator," suggested Alice, speeding away.
Billy caught the cold roll and began to rub it against the tree excitedly.
