She had died when she was such a little thing.
"Come and ask him, then," said Mona.
So soon as he had secured Sun-scout, as he called his kite with the golden head, she took his hand to lead him to her father.
"He won't be up yet," said Willie.
"Oh, yes, long ago," cried Mona.

"He's always up first in the house, and as soon as he's dressed he calls me.

He'll be at breakfast by this time, and wondering what can have become of me." So Willie went with her, and there was Mr Shepherd, as she had said, already seated at breakfast.
"What have you been about, Mona, my child ?" he asked, as soon as he had shaken hands with Willie.
"We've been helping the sun to rise," said Mona, merrily.
"No, no," said Willie; "we've only been having a peep at him in bed, before he got up." "Oh, yes," chimed in Mona.

"And he was so fast asleep!--and snoring," she added, with a comical expression and tone, as if it were a thing not to be mentioned save as a secret.
But Willie did not like the word, and her father was of the same mind.
"No, no," said Mr Shepherd; "that's not respectful, Mona.

I don't like you to talk that way, even in fun, of the great light of the earth.
There are more good reasons for objecting to it than you would quite understand yet.