"'What rubbish!' growled Alan; 'you're not going to have them, Harold; you can't till Ethel has had them first herself; you daren't, you know; don't you recollect what Nurse says when you want to be helped to pudding before her,—"Age before honesty, Master Harold;" and so Ethel shall have the measles first too!'
"'I won't , Alan,' whined Ethel; 'if you say such horrid things, I'll tell Mamma. I shan't have the measles, shall I Nurse?'
"'I hope not, from my heart,' answered Nurse, very fervently; 'I've handful enough with you as it is, but goodness forbid you should be all laid up just now.'
"Next morning, when Ethel was washed and dressed, and went into the day nursery to breakfast, Alan beckoned her out with a very grave face, and told her to follow him down to the school-room. She did so, full of curiosity at the unusual event; but when he opened the door and led her in, she was still further puzzled. The tablecloth was laid for breakfast for the elder ones, but the blinds were all down, and on the table lay something stretched out under a towel.
DOLLY'S ATTACK OF THE MEASLES.
"'Take it off and look, Ethel,' said Alan; and when she did so, she started back in horror, for there I lay, with my face and throat all covered
with bright red round spots. 'She has got the measles, Ethel,' said Alan, going off into roars of mischievous laughter.
"Poor Ethel shrieked and rushed away, sobbing as if her heart would break, till there was such a commotion that Papa came in to see what was the matter. He was very angry indeed with Alan, and told him how cruel it was to frighten a younger child, and a girl too, in this manner; and Alan's explanation that it was only to punish Ethel for teasing little Harold did not make matters better.