"Then do go up and get us a screw-driver; if this comes to grief I shall tell Agnes it was all you."
"You seem afraid of Agnes," laughed Hugh.
"Not at all. But you know we are 'on the spree;' and I don't want to do what she would not like, which would be no spree."
The screw-driver was found, and then they began in earnest; but before long the bumps and scrapes brought Jane up from below.
"Now, master John, are you gone mad?" she asked.
"Don't you say a syllable, Jane, or I'll skin you," said Hugh coaxingly; "it would spoil all our fun."
"What on earth are you doing then?" she asked.
"I'll call you up to see when we've done; but do leave us now, there's a good soul."
She went down again, looking rather scared; but the cook happened to be busy, and did not notice it.
The bedstead now lay at their feet in pieces, which they quickly carried upstairs, and by-and-by were able to set up to their great satisfaction.