Periwinkle admitted that he knew little more except that their mother had told them that God always sees them.
"And don't you know any Scripture passages, nor Bible stories, nor your Catechism? and don't you know that God punishes children who do not love His Word?" asked their aunt in much surprise.
"But we never heard him speak a word," cried Pearl in reply.
Miss Hetty gazed at the child in eloquent silence. Then she arose, unlocked the bookcase and selected two books.
"Learn the first two pages by the time I come back," she said. "I'll leave you for half an hour. I know no other way of helping you."
There was silence for five minutes after their aunt with an indignant swish of skirts had left the room. Pearl was the first to break the silence.
"Do you think this is much fun, Peri?" she inquired, looking up with a puzzled frown.
"No, I don't. I don't understand it. The Fat Woman never gave us a lesson unless she explained it first."
"Let's not study any more then. It's dreadfully hot in here and the air smells awful nice comin' through the window. Just like tulips and roses and several brands of perfume jumbled together. Say, Periwinkle, if you opened that window ever so little I could just fly right out to that yellow butterfly that's wiping his feet on Aunt Hetty's flowers."
Pearl's wish was always law to her adoring brother. He set her free, and as soon as he saw her "flying away," he daringly raised the window still higher and jumped out quietly himself.