"But it's so awfully nice, you know, I must speak, and, besides, we're only whispering."
"Well, whisper lower, and closer."
Katie held her head closer to Harry, and thus these two, for purely precautionary purposes, carried on the rest of the conversation in that position. And their heads were so close that they touched; and their whispers were very soft and low. But all this was necessary; for if they had not taken these precautions, they might have wakened up old Mrs. Russell, and then, as a matter of course, there would have been the mischief to pay.
"There's too much moonlight here," said Harry. "Come over inside the old fireplace, and we'll be in the dark."
"Oh, that will be so nice!" said Katie. And she at once got up and stole away to the deep, dark fireplace, where both of them were wrapped in impenetrable gloom. It was well that they did so, for at that moment something waked Mrs. Russell, who called out,
"Katie!"
"Well, auntie," said Katie, from the depths of the fireplace.
"I thought I heard a noise."
"Oh no, auntie; you've been dreaming," said Katie, in a tone of sweet sympathy. "Go to sleep again, poor dear."
And auntie sank back into the land of dreams. After a little judicious waiting they were able to resume their interrupted conversation.