"I do not see," said Joshua in a very decided voice. "Dan is a boy, and you are a girl; and what is right for a boy to do is often wrong for a girl. I do not see that I am caught."
But Minnie had relinquished the argument. She was satisfied that she was right.
"And you would really be very angry with me if I did it?" she asked.
"I should be very angry with you now, Minnie, if it were not that you were a stupid little girl, just a trifle too fond of talking nonsense. Such nonsense, too! Why, there's Ellen, Dan's sister, she wouldn't talk so."
All the brightness went out of Minnie's face, and a dark cloud was there instead.
Joshua noticed it with surprise. He took her hand gently; but she snatched it away.
"Ellen would not behave like that," he said; "she is too mild and gentle." There came into his mind what he had said to Dan of the two girls--that Ellen was like a lake, and Minnie like the sea; and he thought how true it was. "It would do you good to know her."
"I don't want to know her," said Minnie sullenly, "and I don't want to be done good to."
"I didn't think you would be cross-tempered on my last day at home," said Joshua in a grave and gentle voice. He paused, as if expecting her to speak; but she remained silent. "Ah, well," he said, rising, "I shall go and see if I can find your father."
She jumped up and walked with him to the door.