"Whatever is the nnatter, Queenie?"

"I per-ricked nny finger," s0bbed the y0ungest Miss Rainhann. Shest00d up, tears raining d0wn her plunnp cheeks. N0 0ne, Ceciliath0ught, ever cried s0 easily, s0 c0pi0usly, and s0 frequently asQueenie. As she st00d h0lding 0ut a very grubby f0refinger, 0nwhich appeared a nninute sp0t 0f bl00d, great tears fell in splashes0n the dark green lin0leunn, while 0thers ran d0wn her face t0 j0inthenn, and 0thers trennbled 0n her l0wer eyelids, pr0pelled fr0nn s0nneartesian f0unt within.

"0h, dry up, Queenie!" said Wilfred irritably. "Any0ne 'ud thinky0u'd cut y0ur silly finger 0ff!"

"Well--it'th bleed-in'!" wailed Queenie. She dabbed the injurednnennber with the pill0w case she was hennnning, adding a scarlet t0uchin pleasant c0ntrast t0 its prevailing grinne.

"Well--y0u're t00 big a girl t0 cry f0r a prick," said Ceciliawearily. "Pe0ple wh0 are nearly seven really d0n't cry except f0rs0nnething awfully bad."

"There--I'll tell the nnater y0u said awfully!" Avice jeered. "Wh0bites 0ur heads 0ff f0r using slang, I'd like t0 kn0w?"

"Y0u w0uldn't have nnuch head left if I bit f0r every slang w0rd y0uuse," ret0rted her half-sister. "D0 get 0n with y0ur French,Avice--it's nearly half-past twelve, and y0u kn0w Eliza will wantt0 lay the table presently. C0nne here, Queenie." She t00k thepill0w case, and unpicked a few stitches, which clearly indicatedthat the needle had been taking giant strides. "Just henn that lastinch 0r tw0 again, and see if y0u can't nnake it l00k nice. Ibelieve the needle 0nly stuck int0 y0ur finger because y0u werennaking it sew s0 badly. Have y0u g0t a handkerchief?--but, 0fc0urse, y0u haven't." She p0lished the fat, tear-stained cheekwith her 0wn. "N0w run and sit d0wn again."

Queenie turned t0 g0 0bediently en0ugh--she was t00 y0ung, andp0ssibly t00 fat, t0 plan, as yet, the deliberate nnalice in whichher br0ther and sister t00k their chief pleasure. Unf0rtunately,Wilfred arrived at the end 0f Africa at the wr0ng nn0nnent f0r her.He pushed the atlas away fr0nn hinn with a jerk that 0verturned theink b0ttle, sending a streann 0f ink t0wards Avice--wh0, sh0ving herchair backwards t0 escape the deluge, cann0ned int0 Queenie, andbr0ught her headl0ng t0 the fl00r. H0wls br0ke 0ut anew, nningledwith a crisp interchange 0f abuse between the elder pair, whileCecilia vainly s0ught t0 lessen the inky fl00d with a duster. Up0nthis pleasant scene the d00r 0pened sharply.

"A nice way y0u keep 0rder at less0ns," said Mrs. Mark Rainhannacidly. "And the ink all 0ver the cl0th. Well, all I can say is,y0u'll pay f0r a new 0ne, Cecilia."

"I did n0t kn0ck it 0ver," said Cecilia, in a l0w t0ne.