"Yes, if you don't think the weather too bad, I'd like to call on Mrs. Brown after Ralph is put to bed."
"Winnie, I should like you to accompany Jack in one of his new violin studies, while we are gone; but you must not forget that half past nine is your bed-time."
"Now for the new music," Jack said.—See page 6.
Poor Winnie! She dearly liked playing Jack's accompaniments, but the unlearned lessons rose up before her, and she said, "Oh, mamma, I can't to-night; I haven't done my lessons!"
"Well, Winnie, this has happened three or four times within the last week. If several study bells in school and two hours in the afternoon are not sufficient for you to keep up with your classes, I'd rather you'd go back a year. I want you to be educated thoroughly, but I can't have you 'crammed,' and you're too young to do studying at night."
"Mamma, that is time enough for me to do all my school work; but, like the Little Women, I have something to ' 'fess,' and if you'll let me study this time, I think that after this I'll get through in the daytime."
"Very well; but remember, if this is of frequent occurrence, I'll have to consult Mr. Bowen and see if you are overworked."
Jack and Mr. Burton had heard none of this conversation, having gone into the sitting-room for a game of chess, and Mrs. Burton and Winnie had remained in the dining-room.
Mrs. Burton went into the kitchen to give her orders for breakfast to Norah, and Winnie returned to the sitting-room with a strong determination to work so hard that she would make up for her self-indulgence of the afternoon. But little Ralph came running up to her with: "Now, 'Innie, tell me a story."