Mrs. M. Why, Florence Malvina, what a fright you make of yourself! Pray what is the matter?
Flor. I guess you’d be frightened if you’d been where I was. I just went outside of the road to find some blackberries, when I thought I heard somebody coming. I looked round, and there was a great ugly-looking cow running after me. I ran as fast us I could till I couldn’t go any further, and then I crept underneath the bars, and came up through the field.
Mrs. M. It’s a shame for people to allow their cows to run around the streets in such a way. It’s lucky that you were not killed.
Flor. The cow would have taken me up on her horns if she had caught me, I know she would. She held her head down all ready to do it. (Enter George, L., covered with mud and water). Why George, did you almost get drowned? Just look, mother. George is just as wet as he can be. (George looks askance at his mother, but says nothing.)
Mrs. M. (severely). Well, George Alexander, this is a pretty plight for you to be in. What have you been doing now?
Geo. (defiantly). I wasn’t doing anything, only building a dam down by the spring, and pretty soon some boys came along, and they laughed at me, and said they bet I couldn’t jump the ditch there. So I meant to show them I could, and I did do it too; but the ground was all soft and wet the other side, and when I tried to jump back again I fell into the ditch.
Mrs. M. What boys were they?
Geo. The Dunn boys. They knew it was wet the other side, and when I fell in, you ought to have heard them laugh.
Mrs. M. They are nothing but ill-bred country blockheads. (To George.) But don’t stand there any longer with those wet clothes on. Go and change them at once.
(Exit George, L. Florence follows him.)