Page:The book of Betty Barber (IA bookofbettybarbe00andr).pdf/49

 Then he felt himself touched on the shoulder, and turning round saw the master of the house, Major F Sharp.

“I hope my ward and my little Sharps were polite to you,” he said. “They are rather rough sometimes, and I have to scold them. The fact of the matter is, they have much to try their tempers, all the children are so very stupid. They tumble about on our staircase in the most careless way.”

“Stupid,” gasped Major C, “Stupid?”

“So very stupid,” said Major F Sharp.

“T’m going home,” said Major C, “I can’t talk to you; you make me so angry. Did you really mean to say the children are stupid? Why, the children are dear little things. It is you who are stupid, to have such a crowded staircase.”

“Come home, come home,” whispered a voice. It was Minora, and she took Major C’s arm.

“And you go home,” she said, turning on Major F Sharp, “and scold those Sharps of yours. Try to teach them how to behave. I’ll have them punished.”

“Thank you,” said Major F Sharp, “I’ll trouble you not to interfere with my household.”

“Come away,” said the Major, who was feeling very bruised, very sore, and very depressed.

“It is a shame,” said Minora. “Did they hurt you really?”

“Why were they so angry?” said the Major.

“It was those Flats over the way,” said Minora, “didn’t you see them?”

“See what?” said the Major.

“I was going home,” said Minora, “and I happened to turn round, I saw the Flats at the end house making signs to the Sharps, and one of them slipped across to the side door.”

“I didn’t see him,” said the Major.

“You were busy,” said Minora, “and he was very careful not to let you see him.”

“But why were the Flats angry with me?” asked the Major, “why should they want to pelt me?”

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