After a time the struggle wanes, or maybe the bed collapses; and you drift back into sleep.

But the next moment, or what seems to be the next moment, you again open your eyes under the consciousness of a presence.

The door is being held ajar, and four solemn faces, piled one on top of the other, are peering at you, as though you were some natural curiosity kept in this particular room.
Seeing you awake, the top face, walking calmly over the other three, comes in and sits on the bed in a friendly attitude.
"Oh!" it says, "we didn't know you were awake.

I've been awake some time." "So I gather," you reply, shortly.
"Pa doesn't like us to get up too early," it continues.

"He says everybody else in the house is liable to be disturbed if we get up.