"What, uncle, you did not surely expect me to be still in bed!"
"Well no; but I thought you would be looking fagged and worn; instead of which, your face is fresh and fair as a rose just washed with dew, and bright as the morning."
"And why not, if sufficient rest will do it?" she returned, laughingly. "I retired at twelve, and had my eight hours of sound, refreshing sleep."
"Ah, you are a wise little woman! too sensible to let late hours rob you of health and good looks, and make you old before your time. What is it Solomon says? 'Early to bed and early to rise?'"
"O, uncle, what a joke! there no use in your pretending that you don't know any better than that," she answered merrily.
"Well, perhaps I do; but he certainly says something about lying late in bed."
"Several things; one occurs to me now. 'Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.' But it cannot mean that we should not take needful rest?"
"Oh no, of course not! there's nothing gained by that. But where's Miss Worth!"
"She has not joined us since the house has been so full of guests. I think she takes her meals with the children in the nursery."