"No, you can't. March off, you small snipes, or you will find a whip there to-morrow morning."
That was Joe's peremptory order.
They had a doughnut apiece, and then went reluctantly. Charlie was very sure that she was wider awake than ever before in her life, and could not get asleep if she tried all night. Kit didn't believe that morning would ever come. Hal put on Dot's nightgown, and heard her say, "Now I lay me down to sleep;" while Joe picked up the cat, and irreverently whispered,—
"Now I lay me down to sleep,
All curled up in a little heap.
If I should wake before 'tis day,
What do you s'pose the doctor'd say?"
"O Joe!" remonstrated Granny.
"That's Tabby's prayers. Tabby is a high principled, moral, and intellectual cat. Now go to sleep, and dream of a mouse."
Tabby winked her eyes solemnly, as if she understood every word; and it's my firm belief that she did.