“Granny and mamma will be so angry with him if they see it,” thought Fanny, “I must try to put it to rights as far as I can,” and while Norman stood by with an angry frown on his brow, she began to replace some of the least injured plants. While she was thus employed, Susan came to tell her and her brother that it was time to get ready for dinner, for Fanny in her agitation had not even heard the gong sound.
“Why, Miss Fanny, what has happened to your garden?” exclaimed Susan.
Fanny never told an untruth, but she was very anxious to shield her brother, for she knew how angry Susan would be with him if she discovered what he had done.
“Pray do not ask me, Susan,” she answered, “John promised to put Norman’s garden to rights this evening, and I daresay he will do mine at the same time, until after that we had better not look at it.”
Susan guessed pretty correctly what had happened, but as Fanny had begged her not to ask questions, she refrained for her sake from doing so.
Fanny was going up to Norman to lead him towards the house, but he hung back, so Susan took him by the arm.
“Come along, young gentleman,” she said in the stern voice she knew how to assume, “you will require to wash your hands well after your gardening,” and she pointed back at the ground he had upturned. “Are you not ashamed of yourself?” she whispered. Fanny had run on a little way lest Susan should again ask questions. “If you are not ashamed you ought to be,” continued Susan, “your sweet sister is an angel, and I should like you just to ask yourself what you are.”
Norman though he threatened Susan behind her back stood in considerable awe of her in her presence, he therefore did not venture to reply, but as he hung somewhat behind her as she led him on, he made faces at her, which he knew she could not see.
Having washed his hands and brushed his hair she conducted him to the dining-room.
“Many a worse boy deserves his dinner more than you do,” she whispered, stopping before she took him in. “Eat yours with what appetite you can, but let me advise you to try and be sorry for the ungrateful way you have treated your sister, who has been so kind to you since you came into the house.”