Christabel sighed as the little girl walked off, displeased at having
her repinings set before her in a graver light than that in which she
had hitherto chosen to regard them.
She saw no more of her charges till tea-time, when the bell brought
them from different quarters, Johnnie with such a grimy collar and
dirty hands, that he was a very un-Sunday-like figure, and she would
have sent him away to make himself decent, but that she was desirous
of not over-tormenting him.
Sunday was always celebrated by having treacle with the bread, so the
butter riot was happily escaped; and Bessie was not in a gracious
mood, and the corners of her mouth provoked the boys to begin on what
they knew would make her afford them sport. Hal first: "I say, Bet,
didn't Purday want his gun to-day at church?"
Elizabeth put out her lip in expectation that something unpleasant
was intended, and other voices were not slow to ask an explanation.
"Shooting the cocky-olly birds!"
A general explosion of laughter.
"I say (always the preface to the boy's wit), shall I get a jay down
off the barn to stick into your hat, Betty?"
"Don't, Hal," said such a deplorable offended voice, that Sam, who
had really held his tongue at first, could not help chiming in,
"No, no; a cock-sparrow, for her London manners.
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