“Not in the garden, William,” replied George; “I have not forgotten the stripes I received yesterday for treading down the flowers. I hate flowers! We cannot steal a handful of green gooseberries without spoiling the flowers.”
“But we need not confine ourselves to the garden, George. We can play at football on the lawn; or shoot arrows at a mark, in the court-yard.”
“I am tired of these games,” said George. “Let us climb over the pales into the Quaker’s meadow, and chase the geese.”
“With all my heart,” replied William; “but if Mrs. Shirley should see us, and tell Papa, you know how our diversion would end.”
“Why surely, Will, you are not such a coward, as to be afraid of the old woman. If she catches us, she will only talk to us about cruelty and such stuff, in her methodistical way. Come, let us play in their meadow, if it is only to spite that sly-faced hypocrite, Josiah.”
“It will certainly be good sport,” replied William, “to see the geese waddle and scream, flapping their wide wings, which look exactly like young broadbrim’s hat.”
George laughed heartily at this sally. “Yes! yes! William, Master Graveairs dare not fight, if he can scold; so make no more scruples, but follow your leader:” and, with the greatest dexterity, climbing over the pales, these wicked boys safely descended into Mrs. Shirley’s meadow.
When there, they raced the pony, and stoned the geese, till they flew screaming into a large pond in the middle of the field, in what they called a very diverting manner.
Josiah was busy working in the garden (in the cultivation of which he spent most of his leisure hours), when the general outcry from the poultry reached his ears; and, too well acquainted with the cause of their disquiet, he threw down his spade, and ran to the scene of action; and arrived just time enough to save the plumage of a hapless peacock from being entirely demolished in their cruel hands.
“George and William Hope,” said Josiah, mildly addressing himself to the intruders, “desist from such unmanly sport, and leave these poor creatures in the quiet possession of the field.”