The nursery door was opened, and in burst Fred, home from Margate School, followed by gentle little Effie; and Nurse, vigorously protesting at being pushed forward in jerks by Bob. Poor, long-suffering Nurse, as usual, was not having at all a good time with the three troublesome boys. Daniel had clambered on her back, and was trying to pull off her cap. Bob--who was not nearly such "A Good Boy" as his mug pretended--slily untied her apron-strings. The apron dropped, and Nurse tripped over it, jerking Daniel on to the floor; and she would have fallen too had she not just saved herself by clutching the table. "Cr-cr-crikey!" clattered the China on the tray in alarm. "Bless those boys!" cried Nurse, as she replaced her apron; but they only laughed. Effie was helping to put her cap straight when the Kettle, unable to contain his feelings any longer, marked his indignation by hissing disapproval and then boiling over. Nurse rushed to his aid, and altered his position so that he couldn't see all that went on. He recovered himself at once. Bustling into their chairs, they all sat down to tea, and at the sudden action the whole tea-set rattled to arms, some standing at attention. The Spoons, stirred by the children's hands, began knocking the sides of the Cups, dealing them blows right and left, and ringing out their resounding protests. "Here's a 'stranger'!" exclaimed Effie, taking a tea-leaf out of her cup. "Who will it be?" "A horrid foreigner, miss--a little black Indian," replied the Teapot, turning up his spout with scorn, and giving a vicious squeeze to the others he held prisoners. "I know who it is!" said Bob, tilting back his chair, then suddenly steadying himself by grasping the table. This was a troublesome habit of his, which drew Nurse's usual reminder. "What's his name?" asked the others eagerly. "_I_ know--it's a secret," replied Bob mysteriously. At this a loud argument began. "My lid! Who's making the noise now?" the Teapot cried. "Pray don't upset your precious selves." "I think it must be Mr. Manners who is the stranger," exclaimed Nurse, putting her hands to her ears to shut out the tumult. "No!" shouted Bob. "I'll tell you--his name's Mr. Tea-leaf!" And he laughed triumphantly. As the other children raised their voices to declare it was very unfair, Bob swung back on his chair again. "Oh!" screamed Nurse in a fright, making a grab at the table. But she was too late! Bob had already made a grab at it when, with a _Swish! Bang!_ he tumbled over backwards, dragging the cloth with him, and everything upon it. And the crockery lay around, all broken to atoms! In the moment of hushed alarm that followed, the Tray rolled away, exclaiming in triumph: "I've got rid of them at last! I said I would when I got the chance!" And the Kettle, gazing at the wreckage, sang on serenely and merrily--