Polly, however, had her own reasons for remaining stolid, and Harry started. But when he reached the landing he paused. Mr. Skratdj had especially announced that morning that he did not wish to be disturbed, and though he was a favorite, Harry had no desire to invade the dining-room at this crisis. So he returned to the nursery, and said, with a magnanimous air, "I don't want to get you into a scrape, Polly. If you'll beg my pardon I won't go." "I'm sure I sha'n't," said Polly, who was equally well informed as to the position of affairs at headquarters. "Go, if you dare." "I won't if you want me not," said Harry, discreetly waiving the question of apologies. "But I'd rather you went," said the obdurate Polly. "You're always telling tales. Go and tell now, if you're not afraid." So Harry went. But at the bottom of the stairs he lingered again, and was meditating how to return with most credit to his dignity, when Polly's face appeared through the banisters, and Polly's sharp tongue goaded him on. "Ah! I see you. You're stopping. You daren't go." "I dare," said Harry; and at last he went. As he turned the handle of the door, Mr. Skratdj turned round. "Please, papa--" Harry began. "Get away with you!" cried Mr. Skratdj. "Didn't I tell you I was not to be disturbed this morning? What an extraor--" But Harry had shut the door, and withdrawn precipitately. Once outside, he returned to the nursery with dignified steps, and an air of apparent satisfaction, saying: "You're to give me the bricks, please." "Who says so?" "Why, who should say so? Where have I been, pray?" "I don't know, and I don't care." "I've been to papa. There!" "Did he say I was to give up the bricks?" "I've told you." "No, you've not." "I sha'n't tell you any more." "Then I'll go to papa and ask." "Go by all means." "I won't if you'll tell me truly." "I sha'n't tell you anything. Go and ask, if you dare," said Harry, only too glad to have the tables turned. Polly's expedition met with the same fate, and she attempted to cover her retreat in a similar manner. "Ah! you didn't tell." "I don't believe you asked papa." "Don't you? Very well!" "Well, did you?" "Never mind." Etc., etc., etc. Meanwhile Mr. Skratdj scolded Mrs. Skratdj for not keeping the children in better order. And Mrs. Skratdj said it was quite impossible to do so when Mr. Skratdj spoilt Harry as he did, and weakened her (Mrs. Skratdj's) authority by constant interference. Difference of sex gave point to many of these nursery squabbles, as it so often does to domestic broils. "Boys never will do what they're asked," Polly would complain. "Girls ask such unreasonable things," was Harry's retort. "Not half so unreasonable as the things you ask." "Ah! that's a different thing! Women have got to do what men tell them, whether it's reasonable or not." "No, they've not!" said Polly. "At least, that's only husbands and wives." "All women are inferior animals," said Harry.