"Surely," said Hugo, "it's your bed-time?"
"No," little Fay answered, and the letters were never formed that could express the finality of that "no," "Med will fesh me when it's time. I've come to play wis loo. Det up, Daddie; loo can't play p'oply lying zere."
"Oh, yes, I can," Hugo protested eagerly. "You bring all your nice toys one by one and show them to me."
"'At," she remarked with great scorn, "would be a velly stupid game. Det up!"
"Why can't Meg play with you?" Hugo asked irritably. "What's she doing?"
Little Fay stared at her father. She was un
accustomed to be addressed in that tone, and she resented it. Earley and Mr. Burgess were her humble slaves. Captain Middleton did as he was told and became an elephant, a camel, or a polar bear on the shortest notice, moreover he threw himself into the part with real goodwill and enjoyment. The lazy man lying there on the sofa, who showed no flattering pleasure in her society, must be roused to a sense of his shortcomings. She seized the Teddy-bear, swung it round her head and brought it down with a resounding thump on Hugo's chest. "Det up," she said more loudly. "Loo don't seem to know any stolies, so you mus' play wis me."
Hugo swung his legs off the sofa and sat up to recover his breath, which had been knocked out of him by the Teddy-bear.
"You're a very rude little girl," he said crossly. "You'll have to be punished if you do that sort of thing."
"What sort of sing?"