again; and I'll never own that my brain isn't as good as his, though
it may be smaller,' cried the excited young person.

'If you shake your head in that violent way you'll addle what brains
you have got; and I'd take care of 'em, if I were you,' began teasing
Ted.

'What started this civil war?' asked Grandpapa, with a gentle
emphasis on the adjective, which caused the combatants to calm their
ardour a little.

'Why, we were pegging away at the Iliad and came to where Zeus tells
Juno not to inquire into his plans or he'll whip her, and Jo was
disgusted because Juno meekly hushed up. I said it was all right, and
agreed with the old fellow that women didn't know much and ought to
obey men,' explained Ted, to the great amusement of his hearers.

'Goddesses may do as they like, but those Greek and Trojan women were
poor-spirited things if they minded men who couldn't fight their own
battles and had to be hustled off by Pallas, and Venus, and Juno,
when they were going to get beaten. The idea of two armies stopping
and sitting down while a pair of heroes flung stones at one another!
I don't think much of your old Homer. Give me Napoleon or Grant for
my hero.'

Josie's scorn was as funny as if a humming-bird scolded at an
ostrich, and everyone laughed as she sniffed at the immortal poet and
criticized the gods.

'Napoleon's Juno had a nice time; didn't she? That's just the way