The other lads had not yet put in an appearance. Cecil and Maurice had the parlor to themselves.
Maurice came up close to his sister, and put one of his big schoolboy hands on her shoulder.
"Go on, Cecil," he remarked; "tell me what Danvers said."
"Why, this," said Cecil, "he told me that he would house you all. 'I'll give them house-room,' he said,—his language was so abrupt, Maurice,—'beds to sleep in; plenty to eat and drink.' He repeated twice that he was a dragon on boys, and that I'd be quit of you; he said that I was to fix up things with you, and that you could all go to him to-morrow. Now, what does this mean?"
"Exactly what he said," replied Maurice, "and didn't I tell you he was a brick? Now it will be all right for you."
"What do you mean?"
"Why, of course, you can go to Redgarth."
"Maurice, did you know of this? Had you anything to do with it?"
"Had I anything to do with it?" repeated Maurice slowly. "Rather. Do you think old Danvers likes to have boys in his house, and that this sort of offer was spontaneous? No, I put the screw on. I scrooged him into a corner last night, and he had no help for it. He wriggled a good bit, I can tell you, Ceci, but I had him on toast, and kept him there until I knew he'd do what he did do. Now, it's all right, and you can go to Redgarth."