"Why, child! What is the matter?" Her voice was actually soft and sympathetic.
"Nothing!" I stammered, thinking to myself that I was in for an investigation now. "I ricked my ankle."
"How?"
"Getting out the window." I was a little sullen in tone now, but I was in so much pain by this time that nothing made very much difference to me.
"Why, you poor little heroine! I am going to have you sent over to the hotel immediately and have a doctor look at it."
Maybe you think I didn't feel foolish and sneaky! Miss Plympton thought I meant I had just sprained it that night instead of the evening before in the fire drill. I was not accustomed to subterfuge and my face burned with the effort to keep the secret. I was not at liberty to involve Tweedles in my confession, and it was impossible to make one without doing it.
Just at this juncture old Captain Leahy came stumping up.
"Well, phat is all this? The beautiful schcool all burnt oop! I am grievin' at phwat our sweet lady will say; boot praise be, she was not herre to go down wid the ship!"
"Oh, Captain, I am glad to see you. I have sprained my ankle and I have just got to get somewhere and lie down." I had visions of keeling over again in a faint and thought it the better part of valour to save my friends that anxiety.
"Ye poorr lamb! I'll fetch a wheelbarrow and get ye over to my mansion in a jiffy."