"What is that stuff on your faces?" demanded Elizabeth sternly, as she collected the parti-coloured scalps from among the débris on the floor.
"It's only war-paint, mother," explained Carroll. "Indians always put it on their faces; don't you remember the Indians in my Indian book? We made it out of jam an' egg. Celia gave it to us; we got the feathers out the duster."
Elizabeth heaved a great sigh. "Come, and I'll wash your faces," she said; "then I think perhaps Robbie had better----"
"No, ma'am;" said Master Stanford firmly; "it isn't two hours yet. I c'n stay till the whistles blow, an' if you invite me I guess I c'n stay to lunch."
"I'm not going to invite you," slipped off Elizabeth's exasperated tongue. "I want you to go straight home, as soon as I've washed you and made you look respectable."
The youngster's under lip trembled. Two big tears welled up in his black eyes. "I--didn't--mean to--be--naughty!" he quavered. "I don't care if you--whip--me; but I don't want--t' go home. Annie's--cross. She slapped--me--twice this morning! She says I'm the plague o' her life."
Annie was the Stanford's cook and possessed of unlimited authority which she frequently abused, Elizabeth knew. "Where is Livingstone?" she asked in a milder voice, as she removed the traces of her best raspberry jam from the visitor's round face.
"Mother took baby with her; she's going to leave him at gran'ma's house till she comes home. She said I couldn't go, 'cause gran'ma--she's--kind of nervous when I'm there."
"Well, dear; you can stay and have lunch with the children; only----"
"Are you goin' to whip me? I shan't cry if you do."
"My mother doesn't whip anybody," said Carroll superbly; "she's too kind an' good!"
"So's my mother kind an' good! I double dare you to say she isn't!"
"Come, children; you mustn't get to quarrelling. Of course your dear mother is kind and good, Robbie. And you ought to try to be so kind and good and obedient that she won't ever feel that you ought to be whipped."
Master Stanford's black eyes opened very wide at this difficult proposition. "Aw--I don't know 'bout that," he said diffidently. "I guess my mother'd jus' 's soon I'd be bad some o' the time. She says she's glad I ain't a milk an' water child like Carroll. An' my papa, he says----"