I heard afterward that the girl rarely lost complete control of herself, but when she did she was a perfect little fury.
In the midst of her kicking and scratching, Mr. Macdonald came sauntering from the stable and interposing his sturdy arms between the children said, "Bless you, young ones—this is a sight I have never seen here before."
"It's all his fault," panted Cassowary, glaring at Big Chief; "he's getting uglier and uglier to the little ones. He's a beast."
"Come! Come!" said the young man soothingly. "Your brother is a fine lad. These are only growing spasms. He'll get over them. He's head of the house when your father is away. You should obey him."
Cassowary stamped her foot at him. "You, you Old Countryman," she said furiously, "with your law of primo—primo——"
"Primogeniture," he said, squinting up his eyes at her angry face.
"What does that mean?" whispered Barklo to me.
"Rule of the first-born," I said, "an Old Country idea."
"Cassowary looks as old as her brother," he said, "and acts older."
Cassowary was spluttering on, "We're Canadians—it's share and share alike here. The eldest brother isn't going to have everything."