"No, it was him!" and Bess pointed an accusing finger at her small brother Jack. "He did it again, Uncle Ned," she added, looking toward Mr. White.
"Dear me! what is it all about?" asked Captain Ben, now appearing. "I don't quite understand."
"I think I can explain," said Mrs. River, who had slipped on a dressing gown and slippers. "Jack walked in his sleep again, didn't he, Bess?"
"Yes, Mother, he did. He got awful scrambly when I was sleeping with him, and I thought he was going to kick me out of bed, as he does lots of times, so I got out first."
"You did?" exclaimed her mother. "And where did you go?"
"In with her," answered Bess, pointing to Rose.
"Then Jack must have got up a little later and pulled this little boy out of bed," said Mrs. River. "I hope he didn't hurt you," and she patted Laddie on the head.
"Oh, no'm. I fell on a pile of bedclothes," he answered. "But it felt funny at first."
Jack, the innocent cause of all the trouble, stood scratching his back, or rather, trying to reach an itchy place in the very center. But his arms were not long enough.
"I'll scratch it for you," offered Laddie, and he did, amid the laughter of the grown folk.