THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS. 55

ment, and then turned round, opening her eyes at
Geoffrey much wider than I had ever done.

“Why, you audacious, aggravating boy!” she
exclaimed, making a dash at him with her duster ;
but he ran away laughing, and she was obliged to
finish her speech to herself.

“To think of his being so mischievous and ill-
natured! What will poor Miss Rose say! To be
sure, there is nothing boys won't do; their equals
for perverseness don’t walk the earth. Though I
ought not to speak against them, while there’s
Master William and Master Edward to contra-
dict me. They are boys, to be sure; but as for
that Geoffrey!” And here she shook her head in
silence, as if Geoffrey’s delinquencies were beyond
the power of words to express. i

She then released me; and after restoring my
limbs to their proper position, and smoothing my
discomposed dress, she laid me gently on my bed,
and placed my wig on my pillow beside me, with
many kind expressions of pity and goodwill.

Repose was indeed needful after so agitating
an adventure; and I was glad to be left quiet till
the young people came in from their walk. I com-
posed my ruffled spirits as well as I could; but I
found it impossible not to be nervous at the idea
of Rose’s first seeing me in such a plight, and I