There came another little sound of something breaking, like a faint echo far away. It was his pipe which had fallen among the wreckage. In his astonishment at her sudden action, he had bitten through the mouthpiece.
"That's a pity; we're terribly short of crockery. We shall have to drink our tea out of cans now," was all he said.
"I said I wouldn't wash them, and I haven't washed them," Nora exulted.
"They don't need it now, I guess," he said humorously.
"Sure," he said without the slightest trace of rancor. "Now take the broom and sweep up all the darned mess you've made."
"I won't!"
"Look here, my girl," he said threateningly, "I guess I've had about enough of your nonsense: you do as you're told and look sharp about it."
"You can kill me, if you like!"
"What would be the good of that? Women, as you reminded me a little while back, are scarce in Manitoba."