Bridget woke with a start, looked at the clock, rubbed her eyes and looked again, and then she turned to Molly.
"Arrah, Molly," she cried, "will yez luke at that now.

The alarrum is jist afther goin' off, an' it's eight o'clock! Whativer will happen to us ?" Molly jumped up in great excitement, and the two maids hastily dressed and ran down-stairs.

Of course it was really only six, but as the sun was now shining brightly, they had no thought for astronomical calculations, and besides, they were frightened nearly out of their wits.

Such a thing had never before happened in the well-regulated Fleming household.
As no one was astir, they went on down to the kitchen, corroborating the time by the various clocks, but utterly unable so understand why the family were still all asleep.
Patty heard them whispering as they went down, and choking with laughter, she prepared to wait another hour for more fun,--and it came.
Elizabeth woke just at seven, and rising, glanced as usual at the watch on the dressing-table.
"Nine o'clock!" she almost screamed, running to her sister's door.
"Barbara! what does this mean?
It's nine o'clock! Are you asleep ?" Barbara _was_ asleep, but she awoke at her sister's call and drew her watch from beneath the pillow.
"It is," she cried, "it's nine o'clock! What shall I do?
There's a rehearsal of the Historical Tableaux at ten, and I have to make three wigs before I go." "But even that isn't as important as my engagement," wailed Elizabeth, who was splashing her face with water.

"I have to be at the Authors' Club at nine-thirty, to prepare the room for the reception at eleven, and nothing can be done until I get there.