"I think, darling, as he is a guest he must have his tea," Mrs. Orban said; "but I will send a note by him to his mother to say he has not been good."
"I'm not going home to-night—so there," said Bob complacently; "I'm going to sleep in a hammock on the veranda."
"Oh, jolly!" exclaimed every one, and there was a chorus of, "We can stay up late, can't we, just for to-night—Aunt Dorothy's first night?"
But Aunt Dorothy did not allow the compliment to deceive her. Not for her but for Bob Cochrane did the young people want to stay up later. He was certainly a great favourite.
CHAPTER IX.
A RIDERLESS HORSE.
It was a delightfully merry evening. Bob had to re-do his punishment and sing several songs, and then he struck.
"I am quite sure Miss Chase sings," he declared. "It's her turn now. Witches ought to be punished even more severely than traitors."
She made no demur, but sat down to the piano and began to sing. But in the middle of her song such a noise began over her head that she dropped her hands laughingly, and exclaimed,—
"How can I sing with that wretched electric bell going on all the time?"