"You naughty, naughty, naughty boy," screamed Mell, flinging herself upon him.
With a howl of terror, Tommy started up and prepared to flee. Mell caught and held him tight. Something flew from his lap and fell to the ground. Alas! alas! three more pigtails. Mell looked at the children. Each little head was cropped close. What would mother say?
"He cut off my hair," sobbed Isaphine.
"So did he cut mine," whined Belinda. "He took those nassy scissors you told him not to take, and he cut off all our hairs. Boo-hoo! boo-hoo! Tommy's a notty boy, he is."
"I'm going to tell Ma when she comes home, see if I don't," added Isaphine.
"I ain't a bad boy," cried Tommy. "Stop a-shaking of me, Mell Davis. We was playing they was sheep. I was a-shearing of em."
"O Tommy, Tommy!" cried poor Mell, hot, angry, and dismayed, "how could you do such a thing?"
"They was sheep," retorted Tommy sulkily.
"Boo-hoo! boo-hoo!" blubbered Belinda. "I don't like my hair to be cut off. It makes my head feel all cold."
"He didn't play nice a bit," sobbed Isaphine. "He's always notty to us."