"Wanna play knock and run?"
"It's a bit naughty."
He had had a growth spurt recently and temporarily outmeasured her. He looked down from his superior height of two inches into her freckled face and she grinned.
"You scared?"
"Of course I'm not!" she exclaimed indignantly. "It's just that...that lady really told us off last time."
"Well, we won't do it to her."
"But everyone knows us, Little Joe."
"Sounds like you're a bit scared to me." He made a low crooning voice in his throat which slowly increased in volume. "Cluck-cluck-cluck, cl-u-ck-clu-ck, CLUCK, CLUCK – OW!"
She gave him a jarring thump which sent him sprawling. He dabbed his nose and then chased her as she zig-zagged in front of him.
"Come here!" he yelled. "Come here, you little wretch!"
She ran past the kitchen and Joe came to a violent stop as he collided into the larger figure that stepped in front of him.
"What you do, L'il Joe?"
"Nothing." He squirmed as Hop Sing clung onto his collar.
"Why you chase sister?"
"We're playing."
"What happened to nose?" Joe felt his sore nose. "Been fighting again?"
"No!"
"Well, you stop. Or I tell Mr Ben. Hear me?"
"Yes, sir, Hop Sing."
The cook grunted and went inside.
Joe looked around but could not see her. He heard her laughing and followed the noise. "Scamp? Come out and face me!"
"Not likely!"
"Scaredy-cat!"
She stomped around the corner and glared at him. "I am not scared. Do your worst."
His nose was killing him but he thought Hop Sing might be looking out of the window, so stayed his hand. "You're darn lucky you're a girl, Scamp."
"Don't let that stop you."
"I wouldn't normally, but after my run-in with Hop Sing, he's in a bad mood."
"He's always in a bad mood...Let's not fight."
"Says the girl who's just squashed my nose."
"Well, you did kinda ask for it. I am not scared and I'm certainly not scared of you. If you wanna hit me, go ahead."
"Oh, shut up, will you?"
"I'm sorry. For punching you. But you shouldn't keep saying I'm scared all the time."
"So what about this knock and run?"
"Who we gonna do it to?"
Joe grinned. He had gotten his own way. "Tomorrow after school. There are a few houses just to the north of the main street. We might be able to get away with it. As long as we're quick."
"We'll be quick."
They were not to know they would soon have a much more serious problem at hand and their mischief was forgotten. At least for now.