"I'm not sleepy, and I'm hungry," said Andy respectfully enough, but
firmly.

He walked over to the set table and picked up two biscuits from a plate.

"Put those down, you put those down!" screamed Miss Lavinia. "Will you
mind me?"

Andy pocketed the biscuits. He was taking wise precautions in view of
past experiences with his termagant relative.

The boy stood his ground, and his aunt stamped her foot. Then she
reached behind the stove and took up a stick used as a carpet beater.
Armed with this she advanced threateningly upon Andy.

"Don't strike me, Aunt Lavinia," said Andy quickly. "I am getting too
big for that. I won't stand it!"

"You scamp! you disgrace!" shouted his irate relative, still advancing
upon him.

She beat at Andy, who snatched the stick from her hand, broke it in two
and threw it out through the open doorway.

"I will go to my room if you insist upon it," said Andy now. "I don't
see the need of treating me like a dog, though."

"Don't you?" screamed Miss Lavinia. "Oh, you precious rascal! Here I've
worked my fingers off to keep you respectable, and you go and disgrace