"Regy," said he, taking down the pot, "come here. Look at this jam: isn't it nice? It's raspberry and currant."
The child left his bricks to bend over the tempting compound.
"I'll give it you every bit to eat before nurse comes back," continued the boy, "if you'll eat this first."
Reginald cast a look upon the powder his brother exhibited. "What is it?" he lisped; "something good?"
"Delicious. It's just come in from the sweet-stuff shop. Open your mouth—wide."
Reginald did as he was bid: opened his mouth to its utmost width, and the boy shot in the powder.
It happened to be a preparation of that nauseous drug familiarly known as "Dover's powder." The child found it so, and set up a succession of shrieks, which aroused the house. The nurse rushed in; and Lord and Lady Hartledon, both of whom were dressing for dinner, appeared on the scene. There stood Reginald, coughing, choking, and roaring; and there sat the culprit, equably devouring the jam. With time and difficulty the facts were elicited from the younger child, and the elder scorned to deny them.
"What a wicked, greedy Turk you must be!" ejaculated the nurse, who was often in hot water with the elder boy.
"But Reginald need not have screamed so," testily interposed Lord Hartledon. "I thought one of them must be on fire. You naughty child, why did you scream?" he continued, giving Reginald a slight tap on the ear.
"Any child would scream at being so taken by surprise," said Lady Hartledon. "It is Edward who is in fault, not Reginald; and it is he who deserves punishment."