"Ow—go away!" roared Joel, in an awful voice.
"And we're going to take our luncheon and stop at Egg Rock, and——"
The door flew open wildly, and Joel leaped out over Frick, flattened on the floor.
"Didn't I tell you to let me alone?" cried Joel, on top of the messenger, and pommeling away briskly, "Say, didn't I tell? Say, didn't I tell you?"
The noise all this made was sufficient to bring Jane, who didn't stop to drop her broom.
"My goodness me, Master Joel!" she said, running down from the stair-landing, "what are you doing?"
"Pommeling him," said Joel cheerfully, and not looking up.
"Well, you stop it this minute," commanded Jane, waving her broom over the two figures, for by this time Frick had managed to roll over and was now putting up quite a vigorous little fight in his own defense.
"I can't," said Joel; "I promised him."
"Oh, dear me!" cried Jane, bringing her broom down smartly on as much of the surface of either boy as was possible. "I'll scream for Mrs. Fisher if you don't stop, you two boys. I will, as true as anything!"