In Pendleton woods
Pollyannahadnotturnedherstepstowardhome,whensheleftthechapel. Shehadturnedthem,instead,towardPendletonHill. Ithadbeenahardday,forallithadbeena"vacationone"(asshetermedtheinfrequentdayswhentherewasnosewingorcookinglesson),andPollyannawassurethatnothingwoulddoherquitesomuchgoodasawalkthroughthegreenquietofPendletonWoods. UpPendletonHill,therefore,sheclimbedsteadily,inspiteofthewarmsunonherback.
"Idon’thavetogethometillhalf-pastfive,anyway,"shewastellingherself; "andit’llbesomuchnicertogoaroundbythewayofthewoods,evenifIdohavetoclimbtogetthere."
ItwasverybeautifulinthePendletonWoods,asPollyannaknewbyexperience. Butto-dayitseemedevenmoredelightfulthanever,notwithstandingherdisappointmentoverwhatshemusttellJimmyBeanto-morrow.
"Iwishtheywereuphere—allthoseladieswhotalkedsoloud,"sighedPollyannatoherself,raisinghereyestothepatchesofvividbluebetweenthesunlitgreenofthetree-tops. "Anyhow,iftheywereuphere,Ijustreckonthey’dchangeandtakeJimmyBeanfortheirlittleboy,allright,"shefinished,secureinherconviction,butunabletogiveareasonforit,eventoherself.
SuddenlyPollyannaliftedherheadandlistened. Adoghadbarkedsomedistanceahead. Amomentlaterhecamedashingtowardher,stillbarking.