You should start as soon as you have finished your work with Miss Pooley." Miss Pooley was the governess who came daily from ten till one to instruct them.

At least she instructed them as often as she had the opportunity, but it very frequently happened that when she arrived she was told that the children had gone out for the day, or even oftener a little note to the same effect reached her, adding that as they would be engaged all day they wished to save her the trouble of coming for nothing.
This morning they had intended to do the same thing.

Kitty was to write the note, and Tony to deliver it, but their father's remark, and his look, touched their consciences.

Dan, too, for some reason or another, was against it; he said he thought that after all it was a bit sneaky and underhand, and he wasn't going to have any more of it.

Betty felt the foundations of her world shake, and life bristled with new difficulties; but Dan had said it, so no one questioned.