"Tilly!" said Maria, rising up in her turn, "what has come to you? What book have you been reading? I shall tell mamma."
"I have not been reading any book," said Matilda.
"Then lie down and quit talking. How do you expect I am going to sleep?"
"Let us go and see what we can do at the Dows, Maria, to-morrow, won't you?"
But Maria either did not or would not hear; so the matter passed for that night. But the next day Matilda brought it up again. Maria found excuses to put her off. Matilda, however, was not to be put off permanently; she never forgot; and day after day the subject came up for discussion, until Maria at last consented.
"I am going because you tease me so, Tilly," she said, as they set forth from the gate. "Just for that and nothing else. I don't like it a bit."
"But you promised."
"I didn't."
"To bring in new scholars?"
"I did not promise I would bring the Dow children; and I don't believe they'll come."