‘They came at me while I was sitting quietly reading--there--and shot at me, and called me such horrid names I can’t repeat them, and ran away. Then the others, Gillian and Harry and all, would not listen to me, but shut themselves up in an out-house and shouted at me.’ ‘I think there must be some mistake, Dolores,’ said her aunt. ‘Where are they?’ ‘Out beyond there,’ said Dolores, pointing in the direction in which Fergus was running. Lady Merrifield set off with her, and the other two ladies followed more slowly. ‘I thought it would not do,’ said Aunt Jane. ‘Lily’s children are so rough,’ added Aunt Adeline. ‘I am not so sure that the fault is theirs,’ was the reply. ‘She is a priggish little puss, who wants shaking up.’ ‘Ah! here come the hordes,’ sighed Adeline, shrinking a little, as the entire population, summoned by Fergus, came pouring forth to meet the advancing mother. ‘How is this, Wilfred? Have you been shooting arrows at your cousin?’ ‘Mama!’ cried Valetta, indignantly, ‘he did not shoot at her; he only pretended, and shot the old crocodile-bench. He never meant any more. It was only play.’ ‘Have you not been forbidden to shoot in the direction of any person?’ ‘Nor I didn’t!’ said Wilfred. ‘I only shot the crocodile. I never tried to hit her. She is quite big enough to miss.’ ‘And she did look such a nice Croat, mamma,’ added Valetta. ‘We were scouts out of the Thorn Fortress, Willie and I, and it was such a jolly dodge to steal upon one of the enemy.’ ‘You should have warned her.’ Then it would not have been a surprise,’ said Val, seriously. ‘Was she not at play with you?’ ‘No, mamma,’ said Mysie. ‘We asked her, and she would not. I say,’ pausing in consternation, ‘Dolores, was it you that came and called at the door of the Wolf’s passage?’ ‘Of course. I wanted to show Gillian how Wilfred behaved to me.’ I thought it was Fergus come home to be the enemy.’ ‘Didn’t you know her voice?’ asked the mother ‘We were all making such a noise ourselves in the dark,’ said Gillian, ‘that there was no hearing any one; and Primrose was rather frightened, so that Hal was attending to her. Indeed, Dolores, I am very sorry. If we had guessed that it was you, we would have opened the door at once, and then you would have known that it was all fun and play, and not have troubled mamma about it.’ ‘Wilfred and Valetta knew,’ said Dolores, rather sullenly. ‘Oh! but it was such fun,’ said Val. ‘It was fun that became unkindness on your part,’ said her mother. ‘You ought not to have kept it up without warning to her. And what do I hear about names? I hope that was also misunderstanding of the game. What did you call her?’ ‘Only a Croat,’ said Valetta, indignantly, ‘and a Black Brunswicker.’ ‘Was that it, Dolores?’ ‘Perhaps,’ she muttered, disconcerted by a laugh from her Aunt Jane.