y, only she said it in a broad Scottish accent which you would
hardly have understood had you heard it, and certainly could make
nothing of if I were to try to write it.

"Then we'll get beaten when we get back," Duncan said, miserably.
"Mother's always scolding, and it's your fault, Elsie."

Elsie looked at him contemptuously. "Go on by yourself," she cried; "I
ain't afraid. It's only Robbie that they're in such a hurry to get the
milk for, and I'm not going to hurry for Robbie. Go on by yourself, do."

But this was more than Duncan dared do, and Elsie knew it, for, in the
first place, it would have seemed as if he sided with Robbie against
Elsie, which would have been quite untrue; and, in the second, it would
have got Elsie into trouble with their mother, and that Duncan would not
have done for anything in the world. If Elsie had been a queen, then
Duncan would have been one of her most willing subjects, and done her
bidding whatever it might cost.

So there stood Duncan, fidgeting to get on, yet bound to the spot where
Elsie stayed by a bond stronger than links of iron. It was in vain that
he fidgeted from one bare foot to the other, or vented his impatience by
flinging his Scottish bonnet high in the air and catching it again.
Elsie was immovable, for Elsie was in one of her very contrariest moods
to-day, and I can hardly describe to you how very contrary she could be.

At last, very slowly and deliberately, she got off the stone, and began
slowly to stretch herself. "Do make haste!" cried Duncan, almost tired
out.

"I can't be hurried," Elsie replied, with a grand air, stooping down to
pick up the milk-can, which she had deposited at the side of the stone.
"It's much too hot and I'm much too tired, and I don't see why I should
be expected to fetch the milk at all. You and Robbie ought to do it.
You're boys, and I'm a girl. It's a shame, and I mean to tell mother
so."

Duncan gazed at her in amazement. He knew Elsie was very daring, but did
she really mean to tell their mother that?

"Me and Robbie?" he gasped. "Robbie never goes nowhere with us, Elsie,
don't you know?"

"Yes, I know, child," Elsie replied, with a lofty toss of her head.
"It's just what I do know. Robbie stops at home while you and me do all
the errands and everything else too, and it isn't fair."

"But you wouldn't like Robbie to come with us: you know you wouldn't,"
Duncan exclaimed, in perplexity.

"With _us!_ No, indeed," Elsie cri