“How long do you suppose he was up stairs?” inquired Miss Conyers.
“Well, nigh upon an hour I should say, Miss. You see I kept awake to let him out.”
Britomarte looked at Elfie and burst into an irrepressible fit of laughter.
Elfie pouted, sulked, and finally caught the infection and laughed heartily for company.
“There seems to be some joke here that we of the masculine persuasion are shut out from enjoying. Pray, may I, without indiscretion, inquire into its nature?” asked Major Fielding.
And Justin and Ethel, by their looks at least, seconded the motion.
“It is Elfie’s secret,” laughed Miss Conyers.
“Well, you may tell it, Britomarte,” laughed also Elfie.
“It seems, then,” said Miss Conyers, “that this young lady had the watch; that, wearied out with many days of lost rest, she fell asleep at her post; and, having indulged in new cheese for supper, she had the nightmare; and so, when the doctor paid his nocturnal visit, she took him for the Rebel General Eastworth, and because she couldn’t wake, imagined that he had chloroformed her to prevent her giving the alarm.”
And here Major Fielding burst into a laugh, in which he was joined by Justin, Ethel, Britomarte and even Elfie.