[Her head on Peggy's lap—sleepily.] Yes, thank you.

PEGGY.

[ Wearily.] Oh! [The door quietly opens, and Saunders appears. Peggy and Ermyntrude are hidden from him by the armchair.]

SAUNDERS.

[Sleepily.] I can't sleep in my room. Where have they put Uncle Jack, I wonder? [Seeing Gwendoline, who is sleeping, with the light from the conservatory windows upon her.] Oh—what's that? [Going softly up to Gwendoline, and looking at her.] Why, here's my Gwen. I wonder if she'd mind my sitting near her. [Turning up his coat collar and sitting gently on the footstool, he leans against the head of the sofa drowsily.] Now if any robbers wanted to hurt Gwen, I could kill them. [Closing his eyes wearily.] Oh! [Soon there is a sound of heavy regular breathing from the four sleeping figures. The door opens, and Mallory enters.]

MALLORY.

[Shivering.] Can't get a blessed wink of sleep. Where have I wandered to? Why, this is the room where the awful row was. [Seeing Gwendoline.] Hallo, here's one of those schoolgirls—[discovering Saunders] and—well, this nephew of mine is a devil of a fellow! That isn't a glimmer of fire, surely. [ Walking towards the fireplace he nearly stumbles over Ermyntrude.] More girls! [He accidentally knocks over the scuttle. They all wake with a start.]

PEGGY AND ERMYNTRUDE.

What's that?

GWENDOLINE AND SAUNDERS.