Boys.

Max saw Miss Bibby coming. In truth he had almost forgotten his recent
revolt against law and order, for during his tumultuous passage through
the garden, he had come across one of the guinea-pigs that had escaped
from its bondage. An exciting chase had followed, but he had won, and in
the satisfaction consequent upon victory he might have even been induced
to overlook Miss Bibby's behaviour.

But then he saw the gentle reproach in her eyes, and noted (the Judge
himself had not the faculty of lightning observation possessed by his
son) the nervous, half-conciliatory trepidation of her manner. He thrust
his hands as deeply as they would go into his inadequate pockets and met
her gaze unblinking.

"Why, Maxie," she said, "I can't believe this is the good little boy who
was here yesterday. No, it is some other bad little fellow who has taken
his suit and looks like him. Do you think if I look carefully about I
could find my good little boy again?"

Max would have none of such folly.

"I'm me," he said determinedly.

Miss Bibby sought to gather him up in her arms--the natural instinct.
For indeed when your rebel's "trousers" measure but three inches in the
inner seam you cannot regard him as other than a baby.

But he held fast to the wire fence of the guinea-pigs' run.

"I _won't_ be nursed," he said. She stood ten minutes cajoling him,
wheedling, coaxing, threatening. No, he would not return to his corner
and work out his punishment, even though the punisher was eagerly
offering to reduce the duration of it to "exactly three minutes, Max
darling,--see, by this pretty little watch, and then we can all be
friends again."

No, Max would have no traffic at all in the offer of such an ignominious
position.

"Well, see here, Max," said the helpless lady recognizing and bowing at
last to the stronger will, "if I let you off the corner will you run in
and kiss Muffie and Anna to show you are sorry?" (The word "apologize"
was eliminated now from this last treaty.)

No, Max would _not_ kiss either Anna or Muffie. They were both "bad
girls."

"Very well, Max," said Miss Bibby, "you only leave me one resort. I
shall shut you up until you are good."

"I can run licker than you," was Max's reply, and he ducked beneath her
arm and dashed across the garden.

Miss Bibby's blood rose high and she started to follow him. But how may
a lady who for at least twenty years has done nothing but walk sedately
ever expect