breakfast, but Oswald had come up to get his knife out of the
pocket of his Etons, to cut some wire we were making rabbit snares
of. It is a very good knife, with a file in it, as well as a
corkscrew and other things--and he did not come down at once,
because he was detained by having to make an apple-pie bed for
Dicky. Dicky came up after him to see what he was up to, and when
he did see he buzzed a pillow at Oswald, and the fight began. The
others, hearing the noise of battle from afar, hastened to the
field of action, all except Dora, who couldn't because of being
laid up with her foot, and Daisy, because she is a little afraid of
us still, when we are all together. She thinks we are rough. This
comes of having only one brother.

Well, the fight was a very fine one. Alice backed me up, and Noel
and H. O. backed Dicky, and Denny heaved a pillow or two; but he
cannot shy straight, so I don't know which side he was on.

And just as the battle raged most fiercely, Mrs Pettigrew came in
and snatched the pillows away, and shook those of the warriors who
were small enough for it. SHE was rough if you like. She also
used language I should have thought she would be above. She said,
Drat you!' and 'Drabbit you!' The last is a thing I have never
heard said before. She said--

'There's no peace of your life with you children. Drat your
antics! And that poor, dear, patient gentleman right underneath,
with his headache and his handwriting: and you rampaging about over
his head like young bull-calves. I wonder you haven't more sense,
a great girl like you.'