“No, I shan’t; you have wild-cats around your neighborhood,” she replied.
“But Willie and I will come down with guns, and escort you up and back again, if you’re afraid,” added Clinton.
“I hate guns; I should be afraid to go with you, if you carried them,—boys are so careless with fire-arms,” replied Ella.
“Then we’ll come without guns,” remarked Willie.
“Yes; and I’m thinking you would run as fast as I should, if you saw a wild beast coming,” said Ella, laughing.
“No, I shouldn’t, either; I’d stand my ground as long as any body would,” replied Whistler, with some warmth.
“Well, Ella,” said Clinton, “I really wish you would come over once more, before you and Willie go home; and Em, and Hatty, too,—I want you all to come.”
“Well, perhaps we will, after you have caught your wild-cat,” said Ella, as the boys moved off.
“She is pretty good at quizzing,” said Clinton to his cousin, as they walked away. “I really hope I shall catch something; if I don’t play a joke upon Ella, then, no matter.”
“If you do, you will be paid off, with interest, I can promise you that,” replied Whistler; and he related an instance in which Ella “came up” with a boy who took the liberty to play a practical joke upon her.