"What fun, if she should!" ejaculated Anna.
"Fun for thee, perhaps, who art ignorant of cost and labour," rebuked Patience. "I shall wait until Grace has departed. The day that she goes, Hester comes in; and I shall have the house begun the day following."
"Couldn't thee have it begun the same day?" saucily asked Anna.
"Will thee attend to thy stitching?" returned Patience sharply. "Thy father's wristbands will not be done the better for thy nonsense."
"Shall I be turned out of my bedroom?" resumed Anna.
"For a night, perchance. Thee canst go into thy father's. But the top of the house will be done first."
"Is the roof to be scrubbed?" went on Anna. "I don't know how Hester will hold on while she does it."
"Thee art in one of thy wilful humours this morning," responded Patience. "Art thee going to set me at defiance now thy father's back is turned?"
"Who said anything about setting thee at defiance?" asked Anna. "I should like to see Hester scrubbing the roof!"
"Thee hadst better behave thyself, Anna," was the retort of Patience. And Anna, in her lighthearted wilfulness, burst into a merry laugh.