Johnny laughed.
"That's a very handy excuse for you: whenever you want me to play, you have a sudden anxiety about my eyes."
"But you know it's just what papa and mamma say, that you read too much, and they ask you to stop reading a good deal oftener than I do. I'm sure, if they had been here, you would have had to put up that book half an hour ago."
"I shouldn't wonder if you were right about that. Well, what shall we do? Shall we play checkers?"
"Oh, no! don't let's play any thing still: let's romp a little."
"Romp!" exclaimed Johnny, making up a comical face. "You know I hate romping. Let us play a game of chess."
"No: you always beat me at those games, and so it isn't any fun; but I can beat you at romping, and so I like it. Besides, papa and mamma say it is better for you to exercise more, and they like to have you romp with me."
"I should think you were setting up for a doctress, if I didn't know you better. You are the greatest girl to get up excuses for whatever you want to do. But I suppose there'll be no peace until I romp."
Johnny put down his book with a sigh and a smile. Sue said, "Come, let's play tag. Catch me if you can!" and ran off into the dining-room. As the gas was only lighted in the front hall and in the sitting-room, it was pretty dark in the dining-room; but this suited Sue all the better: she ran around the table, with Johnny after her; and, as she hit now and then against the table, the dishes rattled ominously. She was laughing uproariously all the time, and evidently thought of nothing but the sport of dodging Johnny, at all risks.
"This won't do," said Johnny, coming to a stand-still, as Sue, in trying to escape him as he turned suddenly in the direction in which she was running, knocked over a pitcher near the end of the table: "we shall be sure to break something before long, at this rate."