to home!"

"Oh, don't fret," said her mother, good naturedly, "I guess
you'll git along. I wouldn't mind if folks would only say, 'Oh,
childern will be childern;' but they won't. They'll say, 'Land
o' Goodness, who fetched them childern up?' Now it's quarter
past five; you can go, an' whatever yer do, don't forget your
mother was a McGrill!"


VI.
"WHEN THE PIE WAS OPENED,
THE BIRDS BEGAN TO SING!"

The children went out the back door quietly, and were presently
lost to sight, Sarah Maud slipping and stumbling along
absent-mindedly as she recited, under her breath,
"It--was--such--a--pleasant-evenin'--an--sech--a--short
--walk--we--thought--we'd--leave--our--hats--to--home."

Peter rang the door bell, and presently a servant admitted them,
and, whispering something in Sarah's ear, drew her downstairs
into the kitchen. The other Ruggleses stood in horror-stricken
groups as the door closed behind their commanding officer; but
there was no time for reflection, for a voice from above was
heard, saying, "Come right up stairs, please!"

"Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do or die."