“Heah, yo’ li’l missie! Stop that!” cried Uncle Rufus.
“Ho! Ho!” Dot laughed, as she continued to spray Uncle Rufus.
Then he made a dash for her, at which sign of danger she dropped the nozzle and ran away, whereat Uncle Rufus resumed his shuffle toward the faucet, perhaps a hundred feet away.
But no sooner was his back turned than Dot again made a rush for the nozzle, again spraying Uncle Rufus.
He shouted and shook his finger at her, but Dot only laughed the more and doused him well. But as soon as he started to run toward her she dropped the hose and ran in her turn.
“That’s what I was doing, but I got tired,” explained Tess. “Oh, we gave Uncle Rufus a fine shower!”
Ruth and Agnes looked at each other. Then Ruth, shaking Tess rather severely by one arm, exclaimed:
“You naughty girls! The idea of wetting poor, old Uncle Rufus! You must be punished for this, Tess. Agnes, go and get Dot and bring her here.”
When Dot saw Agnes coming out, the mother of the Alice-doll beat a hasty retreat, not quite fast enough, though, for she was caught as she ran across the lawn and stumbled.
“What’s the matter?” demanded Dot. “I wasn’t doing it all.”