“What?” said the accused, sitting up in bed and seizing Lucile by the arm. “Unsay those words or I will have your life!”
“Now, you know you don’t need it half as much as I do,” reasoned Lucile. “You have one of your own.” Whereupon Jessie laughed, and peace was almost restored when there came a knock at the door. 168
The girls started and looked at each other in questioning bewilderment.
“Now what have you been doing?” whispered Lucile. “I knew one of these days you would have the law upon us.”
“Up to your old tricks again, I suppose,” Jessie countered. “But you’d better answer them, Lucy.”
“Why don’t you?” said Lucile; but, receiving no answer, called out in a small voice, as the rap was repeated, “Who is it?”
“Aren’t you girls ever going to get up?” whispered a gruff voice, which they, nevertheless, recognized as belonging to Phil. “It’s almost eight o’clock and you said you’d be down by half-past seven. We’ve been waiting for half an hour.”
“All right; we’ll be down right away, Phil,” said Lucile, jumping out of bed and beginning to dress hastily. “I had no idea it was so late.”
“You know you won’t have time for a walk before breakfast, even if you are down in half an hour—which I doubt,” said Phil, pessimistically. “Jack and I are going for our walk, anyway.”
“Run along,” sang Jessie, cheerfully, “and don’t hurry back.”