The girls bowed, and looked at one another gravely.
“We are getting up that burlesque I told you about, and have come out early to study our part together.”
“How praiseworthy of you,” said Honor, in simple good faith. “And what is the piece to be?”
“The Babes in the Wood,” responded Miss Paske with an odd smile, and looking Honor over with her bright little eyes. “Don’t you think it will be suitable to the dear simple people at Shirani?”
“I really don’t know,” replied the other, with a puzzled face.
“Well, I hope you will come to see it,” and with a patronizing nod she moved on. But Ben and Jumbo (Mrs. Langrishe’s dog) were not disposed to part thus! The household feud had evidently extended to them. They had been tiptoeing round one another for some time, with considerable stiffness in their gait, emitting low and insulting growls, that now culminated in a sort of gurgling snarl, as they flew at one another’s throats. Miss Paske gave a little stifled shriek, and scrambled hastily up the bank, whilst Honor and Toby made desperate attempts to separate the combatants. They each caught hold of a dog by whatever came first, leg or tail; but the dogs refused to be parted, and to and fro, and up and down, they struggled and scrambled in a mutual frenzy. Meanwhile, Lalla, who was now at a safe elevation, actually appeared delighted at the performance, and laughed and clapped her hands ecstatically. At last, by the expedient of pouring sand on their heads, the dogs were choked off, and each side was bottle-holder to a furious, panting, struggling animal.
“I think we had better separate at once,” gasped Honor, who only restrained Ben with the greatest difficulty.
“Yes, the sooner the better,” agreed Toby, who was also wrestling with an eager armful.
As Honor turned homewards, with Ben hanging longingly over her shoulder, Miss Paske, who had tripped down from her coign of ’vantage, called after her, in her sweetest, clearest tones—
“Be sure you tell Mrs. Brande, that her dog got the worst of it.”