Eliza Potter, the cook, was washing dishes when they came into the kitchen.
“O you little witch, quit that!” said she to Pollio, as he began to build houses with the knives and forks.
It always amused him to hear her say “Quit that!” and to see her wink her eyelashes. The more she scolded, the faster she winked.
Next evening Pollio was noisy again in the parlor; but nobody minded it till he said,—
“Don’t you see I’m naughty, mamma? Why don’t you send me out in the kitchen?”
He wanted to tease Eliza again; but his mother punished him this time by sending him to bed. It seemed pretty hard; for he was very wide awake, and, though not afraid, found it rather lonesome without his bed-fellow, Teddy. In a few moments he was heard screaming, and his mother ran up to see what was the matter.
“O Lord! I’m a poor little boy all alone in the dark. Do send me a la-amp, a la-amp, a la-amp!”
“Pollio!” exclaimed his mother as soon as she could reach his chamber.
“Why, mamma,” said he, looking up in her face very innocently, “I was only praying! You want me to pray, don’t you?”