"Oh, I'll go into the spare-room, with Aunt Julia," Patricia responded,
cheerfully.

Miss Kirby stifled a sigh; and hoped that Patricia's activities would
not recommence too early the next morning.

It was not Patricia who woke Miss Kirby the next morning.

Custard, waking early, and finding himself in such unaccustomed
surroundings, decided to look for his young mistress. Having been
permitted on one bed seemed to Custard sufficient warrant for getting on
another. Miss Kirby woke with a start to find a little wriggling object
standing between herself and Patricia, while a small moist tongue did
active and alternate service on both their faces.

Her shriek of dismay awoke Patricia.

"Aunt Julia!" Patricia was shaking with laughter, "I'll tell Daddy--how
you woke me up, playing with Custard!"

"He's the most--" Miss Kirby dived beneath the bed-clothes. "Take him
away, Patricia!"

From across the hall came the shrill blast of a trumpet. Custard,
his forefeet firmly planted on Miss Kirby's chest, his head cocked
enquiringly, promptly barked a defiant response.

The next moment the spare-room seemed full of children, all, like
Custard, in search of Patricia, and making, at sight of her, as swift an
onslaught in her direction as the extreme length of their nightgowns