"H.D. means Haughty Dragon, and P.D. means Proud Dog, and A.O. means Angry Ogre, and M.R.P. means the Mighty Ruling Power!"
"Well," said Miss Fletcher decidedly, "the M.R.P. says lessons at once, and no more talking, and as Dreamikins has been laughing till she is tired, it will rest her to have a grave face for the rest of the morning."
Nothing put Miss Fletcher out. She was always pleasant, but always firm; and Dreamikins as well as Freda and Daffy had already learnt the meaning of that long word "discipline" in the schoolroom.
[CHAPTER XII]
The Prisoner
MICHAEL DUNN did get sent to prison for a month. It was by no means his first offence, and I cannot say that the little girls were really sorry for it. They all determined to go and see him. Freda was the one who planned how they should do it. She thought if she went to his mother she could coax her into taking them with her when she went. Jane, who knew everybody, told Freda and Daffy all about the lad's mother. She said her husband had been a bad lot, and the son was taking after him. Mrs. Dunn had been a widow for some years. One afternoon when out with Jane they met Mrs. Dunn, and Jane stopped to speak to her. It was Freda's opportunity; but she was bitterly disappointed when she heard that Michael would be allowed no visitors, and even his mother could not go and see him. When next they met Dreamikins they told her this. She was quite overcome by the bad news.
"But we must see him! It must be allowed. It is what God wishes. We must do somefing at once."
It was after lesson-time, just before Freda and Daffy went home, that they were discussing the question. Dreamikins dashed into her uncle's study, dragging her little friends after her.
"Oh, Fibo, Fibo! It's a shame! It seemed as if everyfing was coming true, and we were really going to do it! It's the only differcult thing we can't manage ourselves; and it was getting easy, and now it's all no good, and they won't let us see him. It's no good, we shall never be the sheep; we shall end by being goats, all because we couldn't get in."
"What is it all about?" asked Fibo mildly.