"That's a clever idea!" Hugh replied. "We'll just take them down a peg or two."
"The meadow 'll do for the field of Waterloo, where the Roses fought," said Ronnie vaguely, anxious to say something clever too.
"Hark at him!" cried Frank, with a roar of laughter. "Bravo, my boy! You shall have the first prize for history."
"I'll take the big chap, if he has any of his nonsense," continued Hugh; "you, Frank, can tackle the second one, and Ronnie, the girl."
"Men can't fight women," said Ronnie indignantly; "'sides, I don't want to fight."
"Then you've got to do so, and if the girl shows any of her high and mighty ways, you must stand on your dignity. I don't say you are to strike her, but just show her our family is as good as hers any day."
"I wish she was a boy," said Ronnie regretfully, slightly impressed by his brother's long speech.
"That won't matter," said Frank, in a would-be soothing tone, "you are more than half a girl yourself."
Ronnie looked so fierce for a moment that there was danger of war in the camp, but Elsie unconsciously saved the situation.
"Who am I to fight?" she cried distressfully, for she felt sadly out of it. No one appeared to have thought of Elsie joining the fray.