"You were really the prettiest baby I ever saw, Ken, though your mother had an awful time trying to cure you of sucking your thumb.

Do you remember the day I spanked you ?" "No," said Ken.
"Oh well, I suppose you would be too young--you were only about four and you were here with your mother and you insisted on teasing Nan until she cried.

I had tried several ways of stopping you but none availed, and I saw that a spanking was the only thing that would serve.
So I picked you up and laid you across my knee and lambasted you well.
You howled at the top of your voice but you left Nan alone after that." Rilla was writhing.

Hadn't Susan any realization that she was addressing an officer of the Canadian Army?
Apparently she had not.

Oh, what would Ken think?
"I suppose you do not remember the time your mother spanked you either," continued Susan, who seemed to be bent on reviving tender reminiscences that evening.