How now, Miss! What’s here to do? Why don’t you do as your mother bids you? I shall take you in hand presently, if you don’t behave better. Don’t speak to her, Miss Wyndham; she is not worth your notice. HARRIET _sidles into a chair, with her finger still in her mouth, and muttering says_. How d’ ye do, Miss? (_Enter young_ SYDNEY, _crying_.) MR. SYDNEY. What’s the matter Ned? What do you cry for? NED. O! my mouse! My mouse! MR. SYDNEY. Well, what’s the matter with your mouse? NED. Oh, Papa, Jack Williams has snatched it away! MR. SYDNEY. Jack Williams snatched your mouse away? I’ll Jack Williams him, a young rascal! Where is he? NED. Run down the lane, Papa! MR. SYDNEY. Come my dear, don’t cry, and I’ll soon fetch it back again. If Mrs. Leyster will excuse me for a few moments. NED. And I’ll go too, Papa, and give him a good threshing; when you are there, he won’t dare to strike again. (_Exit._) MRS. SYDNEY. Harkye Ned; bring none of your nasty mice here. I hate the very sight of them. Don’t you want to go, Miss Harriet? I suppose you would help your brother beat Jack Williams. (HARRIET _looks sulky_.) MRS. SYDNEY. Harriet, will you take Miss Leyster and Miss Wyndham into your playroom, but I suppose you have done with toys, now, young ladies. MRS. LEYSTER. Constantia is always happy to do whatever her young companions like. MRS. SYDNEY. Ay, ma’am, you seem very happy in your children; I am sure I can never keep mine in order, though I believe I take as much pains and scold them as often as anybody. (_Scene changes to a playroom_; HARRIET, CONSTANTIA.) HARRIET. How cross Mama is! She always scolds so when anybody’s here. Don’t you think she is very ill natured? CONSTANTIA. Pardon me for contradicting you; I do not think so, indeed. HARRIET. What, not ill natured to hinder me from doing the cart when it would have been so nice and so pretty? CONSTANTIA. Probably she thought you would overheat yourself; beside, she wished me to have the pleasure of talking with you. HARRIET. Oh, but she knows I hate to sit _stuck up_ with the _company_. I don’t so much care, now you and I are together; but you looked so grave when I came in, I thought I should not like you. I am sure if I had been you, I should have laughed! CONSTANTIA.