Little Women - 912 Freedom Library

Little Womenhe saw the Marches coming out, as if bound on someexpedition.‘What in the world are those girls about now?’ thoughtLaurie, opening his sleepy eyes to take a good look, forthere was something rather peculiar in the appearance ofhis neighbors. Each wore a large, flapping hat, a brownlinen pouch slung over one shoulder, and carried a longstaff. Meg had a cushion, Jo a book, Beth a basket, andAmy a portfolio. All walked quietly through the garden,out at the little back gate, and began to climb the hill thatlay between the house and river.‘Well, that’s cool,’ said Laurie to himself, ‘to have apicnic and never ask me! They can’t be going in the boat,for they haven’t got the key. Perhaps they forgot it. I’lltake it to them, and see what’s going on.’Though possessed of half a dozen hats, it took himsome time to find one, then there was a hunt for the key,which was at last discovered in his pocket, so that the girlswere quite out of sight when leaped the fence and ranafter them. Taking the shortest way to the boathouse, hewaited for them to appear, but no one came, and he wentup the hill to take an observation. A grove of pinescovered one part of it, and from the heart of this green247 of 861