‘You were not to ask him to wait,’ said Ethelberta, within.
‘I know that,’ said Joey, ‘and I didn’t. He’s doing that out of his own head.’
‘Then let Mr. Julian wait, by all means,’ said Ethelberta. ‘Allow him to wait if he likes, but tell him it is uncertain if I shall be able to come down.’
Joey then retired, and the two sisters remained in silence.
‘I wonder if he’s gone,’ Ethelberta said, at the end of a long time.
‘I thought you were asleep,’ said Picotee. ‘Shall we ask Joey? I have not heard the door close.’
Joey was summoned, and after a leisurely ascent, interspersed by various gymnastic performances over the handrail here and there, appeared again.
‘He’s there jest the same: he don’t seem to be in no hurry at all,’ said Joey.
‘What is he doing?’ inquired Picotee solicitously.
‘O, only looking at his watch sometimes, and humming tunes, and playing rat-a-tat-tat upon the table. He says he don’t mind waiting a bit.’