"O Norman, how could you do that!" she exclaimed, seizing him by the arm. "I was only going to show you how to use the bat, and you might have killed me," she said, naturally feeling very angry with him. "You naughty, naughty boy!" Norman lifted up his fist as if about to strike her, Fanny seized his other arm, he struggled to free himself. At that moment Mrs Vallery came out of the house. "What are you children about?" she asked. "Fanny my dear, what are you doing to your little brother?" "She was laughing at me," cried out Norman, "and because I was angry, she is pinching me all over." "Indeed, I am not," said Fanny, and though an instant before she had felt very angry with Norman, having overcome the feeling, she did not like to say that he had thrown the bat at her. "I laughed at him, mamma, merely because he missed the ball so often, and when I came near him he wanted to hit me." "And I did hit you," cried Norman, "and I will hit you again if you laugh at me," and again he struggled to get free. "My dear Fanny, you should have more consideration for your little brother," remarked Mrs Vallery, coming up to them. Fanny let go her hold of Norman, who gave a vicious kick out at her as she did so, and ran to his mamma's side. Poor Fanny felt inclined to cry at the rebuke she had received, and yet she would not excuse herself by saying what Norman had done. That young gentleman, considering he had gained a triumph, shouted out-- "Now you may go and play by yourself, I do not want to have anything more to do with the stupid trap and bat." "It is very ungrateful in you to say that, Norman, after your papa brought it down expressly for you," said Mrs Vallery. "Stay and play on, and try if you cannot do better; and, Fanny, let me ask you not to laugh at the little fellow if he does not manage to hit the ball as often as you do." "I will gladly stop and play with Norman, and promise not to laugh at him," answered Fanny, ever ready to forgive, though, as she moved her arm, she felt much pain. "Will you try again, Norman, and let me show you how you may hit the ball?" she said gently. Norman sulkily consented, and their mamma, thinking that he was reconciled to his sister, returned to the house. Fanny again set to work to show her brother how he ought to strike the trap, and in a short time, by following her directions, he was able to send the ball some distance. He now, highly delighted, kept her running about in all directions. Her arm hurt her too much to enable her to catch the ball, and though she might frequently have rolled it back against the trap and put him out, seeing how much amused he was she refrained from doing so. "We will have another game by-and-by," he exclaimed, as they were summoned to dinner, and he went in highly pleased with his performance, and ready to boast about it, but he entirely forgot the injury he had done to poor Fanny.