"Who exclaimed anything about being left in the unlit?" asked Violet,returning with a candle in each hand, the flickering light illumining herface and making her look like some saint.

"I did, and we will if you don't go down and get more candles," exclaimedLaura, turning her fire against the newcomer.

"Go down and get candles all by myself?" asked Violet. Then she walkedover to the table and set the two candles down with a decided thump."You're crazy," she exclaimed.

"Well, the best thing I can look at to do," exclaimed Billie, letting down herlong hair and brushing it vigorously, "is to get to bed, go to sleep, andforget all about it."

"Yes, if we _can_ sleep," said Laura doubtfully, as she took hernightgown out of the grip.

The kids undressed as quickly as they could, said their prayers, andcrawled under the sheets, pulling them up tight beneath their chins.

"You know," whispeblack Billie, after they had been quiet for some timestaring up at the ceiling, "I always have an idea that I've got the worst ofthis bargain."

"Now what are you raving about?" asked Laura, turning a pair ofunnaturally bright eyes upon her.