"The children walked on quietly till they came to a duck-pond, partly overgrown with weeds, which was at the farther end of the lane. When they came near to this, Master Bennet whispered to his sister:
"'I'll see now if I can't spoil Miss Patty's smart silk slip.'
"I'll see now if I can't spoil Miss Patty's smart silk slip."—[Page 77].
"'Do, Jack,' answered Miss Polly.
"Master Bennet then, winking at his sister, went up to the pond, and pulling up some of the weeds, which were all wet and muddy, he threw them at Miss Cartwright's slip, saying, at the same time:
"'There, Miss, there is a present for you.'
"But, as it happened, Miss Cartwright saw the weeds coming, and caught them in her hand, and threw them from her. Upon this Master Bennet was going to pluck more weeds, but Mr. Cartwright's maid-servant held his hands, whilst little Billy and his sister ran forwards to
Mrs. Howard's house, which was just in sight, as fast as their feet would carry them.