Betty sprang up in bed at once.

"It is time to get up, Kitty," she said peremptorily.

"We've got to do everything right to-day, and be very punctual at meals, and very tidy and all that sort of thing, so that father will see that Aunt Pike isn't wanted.

Do you think he will be vexed when he knows about my writing to her?
P'r'aps she won't tell." Kitty scoffed at such an idea.

"Aunt Pike is sure to tell; but father is never _very_ angry." "But he might be," said Betty wisely; "he looked so last night when all the mud dropped on his plate; but, of course, this is different--there is nothing very bad about my writing the letter.