"Yes, I did!" said Peter, angrily. "If you could go to bed without
caring whether Mother was worried or not, I couldn't. So there."

"I don't think we ought to ask the servants things Mother doesn't
tell us," said Roberta.

"That's right, Miss Goody-goody," said Peter, "preach away."

"I'M not goody," said Phyllis, "but I think Bobbie's right this
time."

"Of course. She always is. In her own opinion," said Peter.

"Oh, DON'T!" cried Roberta, putting down her egg-spoon; "don't let's
be horrid to each other. I'm sure some dire calamity is happening.
Don't let's make it worse!"

"Who began, I should like to know?" said Peter.

Roberta made an effort, and answered:--

"I did, I suppose, but--"

"Well, then," said Peter, triumphantly. But before he went to
school he thumped his sister between the shoulders and told her to
cheer up.

The children came home to one o'clock dinner, but Mother was not
there. And she was not there at tea-time.