Susy tried with all her strength to hold up the heavy lid, but Thomas kept her waiting too long, and all at once down it came. Thomas tried to draw back his head, but the trunk-cover was too quick for him, and gave him a blow right across his face and eyes.
As soon as he knew enough to speak, he called Susy all sorts of bad names, and struck her several times. Susy was so frightened and astonished, that at first she was quite silent, but after a moment she began to cry so loudly that every body came running in to see what was the matter.
By this time Thomas's forehead and face looked quite bruised and swollen, and the moment his mamma saw it she flew to kiss him, and then turned to Susy, and said in a angry tone:
"What did you strike him for, you naughty child?"
"I didn't strike him," said Susy; "I didn't mean to hurt him; I could not hold up the cover, it was so heavy."
"What cover?" asked her mamma.
"The trunk-cover," said Susy.
"Oh! so you were at my trunk, were you?" said the lady. "And who said you might do that?"
"Thomas told me to hold it open while he got the candy."
"Oh! what a story!" said Thomas. "She went and opened the trunk and was going to look for candy, and I went to make her come away, and she struck me with a great big stick."