“But I do hate to tattle. Besides, they haven’t really done anything wrong.”
“But just wait. That Nita is getting more lispy, and more sneaky every day. I hate her.”
“Tavia!” exclaimed Dorothy. “Surely you don’t really hate anybody!”
“Then I perfectly hate her, Doro. If you knew how she even tried to make trouble for you last year, you wouldn’t take her part so quickly.”
“I’m not taking her part at all,” replied Dorothy. “I’m only trying to take yours. You should not say you hate any one.”
“All right. I’ll just think it after this. But, all the same, I’d like to initiate Nita Brandt over again. I think I would manage to get the old pump in working order for the occasion.”
“Lucky for Nita she came early,” said Dorothy pleasantly. “But, now don’t you think we had better turn out the light? We seem to have the record for getting caught after dark, and you know about Miss Bylow.”
“Why not keep up our record?” teased Tavia. “Not such a bad thing to come out unscratched as we have done through all past battles.”
“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I would rather withdraw. I’ve got about all the rows on hand I feel capable of manipulating,” and at this she touched the light button and left the room in darkness.
“S’long!” called Tavia out of the depths of her pillows. “I’m rather surprised that your nerve should go back on you. If you need me in the faction row, I am at your service,” and she, too, prepared to take the sleep of the young and healthful.