"That always puts me to sleep," said Kitty, with a fearful and undisguised yawn.
"Kit! if you do that again, we'll put you out! Now, brace up,—or else go to bed!"
Kitty braced up. Indeed, Kitty had special powers in this direction, if she chose to exercise them.
"Pooh, I can brace up better than either of you," she said, confidently; "and here's how I'm going to do it."
She went over to the big nursery washstand, and turning the cold water faucet, ran the bowl full, and then plunged her face and hands in.
"Kit, you're a genius!" cried her brother, in admiration, as she came up, spluttering, and then made another dash. Soon Kitty's face was hidden in the folds of a rough towel, and the others successively followed her lead.
"My! how it freshens you!" said Marjorie, rubbing her rosy cheeks till they glowed. "I'm as wide awake as anything!"
"So'm I," said King. "Kit, I take off my hat to you! Now it's half-past ten. I move we eat our foods, and then we can have a good time playing parcheesi or jack-straws."
They drew up to the nursery table, and endeavored to enjoy the cookies and apples.
"How funny things taste at night," said Kitty. "I'm not hungry, after all."