"Is it a question of 'money or your life'?" she asked quietly, as each boy held a toy pistol through the carriage window.
"We don't want your money," said one of them sternly, "but your word, and it must be your word of honour!"
"No," said the other boy excitedly, "you forget! It's her signature, we've put it down in writing. You have the paper."
"We want both!" said the first speaker. He produced a paper.
Miss Loder took it out of his hand and read the following in round schoolboy's writing:
"I, the governess of Christina Douglas, do promise on my solemn word of honour that I shall not interfere with her in playtime. I promise to leave John Durward and Avril O'Flagherty entirely alone as they are not my pupils, but boys of spirit who will not be ruled by a woman. I promise to get the lessons over quickly and disappear directly they are done. I promise never to keep Christina indoors when lessons are over unless she wants to stay. And I sign myself here, and put my hand and seal to it."
She looked up after she had read it.
"It's rather clever," she remarked, smiling; "but I'm afraid it's not legal."
"You've got to sign it, or you'll stay here all night!"
The coachman began to get impatient.