She came to the dining-room door and inspected the table critically.

“Just as I thought,” she said grimly.  “Too much party yesterday!  Sister, give me that cup and stop marking the cloth.  Run off and play, both of you, till you get over being cross.  I’d rather do the work myself than listen to you grumble.”

Thus dismissed, Brother and Sister wandered off to the barn.  They ought to have felt happy with the extra time for play, but, for some reason, they were decidedly uncomfortable.

“Everybody’s busy,” grumbled Brother.  “Nobody cares what we do.  Louise and Grace are sewing, and Mother is going to make strawberry jam.  Let’s try the rings, Betty.”

They were inside the old barn now, and the swinging rings had always fascinated Sister.  But she knew that Jimmie had said they were not to touch them, and indeed Daddy Morrison had warned the children not to play in the barn unless some of the older boys were with them.

“It is really Jimmie’s and Ralph’s gymnasium,” he had explained.  “They know how to use the apparatus, and you don’t.  When you are older, Jimmie will teach you and you may play there all you wish.”

Sister looked longingly at the rings when Brother suggested them.

“Where’s Jimmie?” she asked cautiously.

“Up in his room studying,” answered Brother confidently.

Jimmie had been “conditioned” in the June examinations, and now spent part of every vacation day studying so that he might take another test before school opened in the fall.

“All right,” agreed Sister, assured that Jimmie was not likely to walk in upon them.  “How’ll we get the rings untied?”

The rings were fastened up out of the way, tied to a nail on the side wall, so that when not in use they did not take up any room.  Jimmie could reach this nail easily, but, of course, it was far above Brother’s head.

“I’ll get the step-ladder,” announced Brother confidently.  “You hold it for me.”

The step-ladder was an old one and inclined to wobble.  Brother mounted it slowly, and Sister sat down on the lowest step to hold it steady.  Her weight was not enough to anchor the ladder, and it still shook crazily when Brother reached the highest step and stood on his tiptoes to reach the string that held the swings on the nail.

“What are you kids up to now?” a voice asked suddenly.

It was Jimmie!  He had come out to the barn to get a book he had left in the corner cupboard.

Sister jumped to her feet, startled.  Her elbow brushed the wobbily ladder and over it went, carrying Brother with it.  He was too surprised to cry out.

“Are you hurt?  Of all the crazy actions?” Jimmie scolded vigorously as he rushed to his small brother’s rescue.

Fortunately for him, Brother had landed on one of the heavy, thick, quilted pads that were on the floor.  The boys used them when on the apparatus in case they fell.  Brother was not hurt at all, but he was frightened, and when Jimmie picked him up he was crying bitterly.