ll-tale! tell-tale!" sang Bunny; "much I care! If I know my
lesson best I'll get the chocolate and I won't give you one bit."

"You're a greedy thing! But you won't get it. I know my lesson
splendidly, and you don't know yours at all, so I am sure to get the
prize, I can tell you."

"Ha, how grand you are, to be sure!" screamed Bunny, and stretching
out her hand she tried to pull the chocolate box towards her.

"You sha'n't touch it! You sha'n't touch it!" shouted Mervyn; "it
isn't yours, so just leave it alone."

"It isn't yours either," cried Bunny with flaming cheeks, and she
fastened her little fingers more firmly than ever round the box.

"I am sure to get it, so I shall keep it beside me till Miss Kerr
comes back."

"No, you sha'n't," answered Mervyn in an angry voice, and jumping up
on his chair he sprawled over the table and tried to drag the box
from Bunny's hand.

"You nasty boy, let go! I'll tell Miss Kerr! I'll tell mama! You're
a coward! You're a horrid--"

"Who's going to be tell-tale now?" shrieked the boy. "Give it to me,
I say, give it to me," and he gave a vigorous pull at the box.

But the cardboard of which the chocolate box was composed was not
strong enough to stand such pulling, and before the naughty children
knew where they were it suddenly gave way and came to pieces in
their hands. The beautiful prize was completely destroyed, and its
whole contents were strewn all over the place.

"Now, see what you have done!" cried Bunny, bursting into tears;
"you have broken the box--oh dear, oh dear, you cross, nasty, greedy
boy, I--"

"I didn't do it," said Mervyn, but his voice was low and shaky, for
all his anger disappeared when he saw the pretty box torn to pieces
and the chocolate creams lying scattered about all over the table
and floor.

"Yes, you did! If you hadn't pulled so hard it would have been all
right," said Bunny tearfully. "Oh, what will Miss Kerr say? I think
I'll run away to the nursery and hide. I shall be afraid to let her
see me--"

"That would be cowardly," answered Mervyn; "I'm very sorry I pulled
the box, and I'll stay here and tell her so;" and he went down on
his knees and began to gather up the sweetmeats and put them into a
sheet of paper.

"Don't eat any, Mervyn," said Bunny, "they look awfully nice, but--"

"Eat them!" exclaimed the boy indignantly, "I should think not
indeed! I am not so mean as that; I wouldn't--"

"Mean--is it mean?" cried Bunny, ru