"I hate you to vex Nellie," he said, suddenly turning to her.
"I don't vex her," answered Ada defiantly; "she vexes me."
"It can't be so pleasant grinding with those young ones that you need set them all cross to begin with."
"I can't help it; she should have let them have a holiday."
"But mamma said—"
"Nonsense! Nellie has plenty of authority to alter if she pleased, and you know she has."
"Oh, well," said Arthur, "it's of no use quarrelling; so I'll leave you to your own reflections."
He swung himself out of the room, and met the two little girls in the hall coming down to join their nurse, who was already walking up and down the pavement waiting for them.
They were still looking vexed and disappointed, so being a kind boy, he wished he could do something, but hardly knew what.
"Look here, Isabel; will Mary let you get a pennyworth of sweets somewhere?"