At the table Marjorie gave her father a full description of her experiences of the night before.
Mr. Maynard listened gravely to the whole recital.
"My dear child," he said, when she finished the tale, "you did a very wrong thing, and I must say I think you should have known better."
"But I didn't think it was wrong, Father."
"I know you didn't, dearie; but you surely know that you're not allowed out alone at night."
"Yes; but this was such a very unusual occasion, I thought you'd excuse it. And, besides King was out at night."
"But he's a boy, and he's two years older than you are, and then he had our permission to go."
"That's just it, Father. I felt sure if you had known all about it, you would have given me permission. I was going to telephone and ask you if I might go to Mr. Cobb's, and then I thought it would interrupt the dinner party. And I didn't think you'd mind my running around to Mr. Cobb's. You know when I went there, I never thought of going to the schoolhouse last night."
"How did you come to think of it?"
"Why, I wanted my speller so much, and when I saw the schoolhouse roof sticking up above the trees, it made me think I could just as well run over there then, and so have my book at once."