"Couldn't do it, sir," said Jacko, gravely.
"It is an appointment, you impudent ——! Hand it here."
"Not as you know of!" laughed Jacko, tauntingly shaking it over her head.
He made a rush to catch it.
She sprang nimbly away, and clapped the paper into her mouth.
He overtook and caught her by the arm, and shaking her roughly, exclaimed, under his breath:
"Where is it? What have you done with it? You exasperating, unprincipled little wretch, where is it?"
"'Echo anfers fere?'" mumbled the imp, chewing up the paper, and keeping her lips tight.
"Give it me! give it me! or I'll be the death of you, you diabolical little ——!" he exclaimed, hoarsely, shaking her as if he would have shaken her breath out.
But Jacko had finished chewing up the paper, and she swallowed the pulp with an effort that nearly choked her, and then opening her mouth, and inflating her chest, gave voice in a succession of piercing shrieks, that brought the whole family rushing into the room, and obliged the professor to relax his hold, and stand like a detected culprit.