Susie nodded, still with an unmoved countenance, and Dottie redoubled her screams. Iris put both hands over her ears in despair.
“Dottie,” she said, “if you don’t try to leave off I shall put you to bed, and let Susie keep the doll.”
It was not at all easy for Dottie to leave off when she was once well set going, but she checked herself a little.
“Give the doll back, Susie,” said Iris.
Susie looked up to see if her sister were in earnest, and meeting a glance of great severity she rose and advanced towards Dottie sideways, with one finger in her mouth, and holding the doll by the legs, head downwards. Dottie, still sniffing and sobbing, made a convulsive snatch at it.
“Kiss each other,” said Iris, for this was always a sign that the quarrel was over for the time and peace agreed on between the two little girls. They had hardly given each other the angry embrace usual at such moments when a boy’s voice rang shrilly from the top of the stairs.
“Iris, Iris! Where’s Iris? Oh, Iris, do just come here!”
Poor mother! Any chance of her getting some sleep must be over long ago. It was impossible to keep the children quiet.
“Clement,” said Iris impatiently, as a boy in knickerbockers came tumbling down-stairs at headlong speed, “I do think you might remember that mother has a headache. Why can’t you come and find me instead of shouting about like that?”
“Oh, I say,” said Clement, stopping short and staring at her, “aren’t you just cross this evening! What makes you in such a tremendous temper?”