in earnest, got up and bounced out of the room.

"Laura, how can you?" said Pin, dissolving. "It's only you who make her
so cross."

"I don't care," said Laura rebelliously, though she was not far off
tears herself. "It IS a shame. All the other girls will have dresses down
to the tops of their boots, and they'll laugh at me, and call me a [P.4]
baby;" and touched by the thought of what lay before her, she, too,
began to sniffle. She did not fail, however, to roll the dress up and to
throw it unto a corner of the room. She also kicked the ewer, which fell
over and flooded the floor. Pin cried more loudly, and ran to fetch
Sarah.

Laura returned to the garden. The two little boys came up to her; but
she waved them back.

"Let me alone, children. I want to think."

She stood in a becoming attitude by the garden-gate, her brothers
hovering in the background.--Then Mother called once more.

"Laura, where are you?"

"Here, mother. What is it?"

"Did you knock this jug over or did Pin?"

"I did, mother."