By this time the bandage had come off the burned wrist, and Edgar must bind it on again, and Polly shrieked and started when he pinned the end over, and Edgar turned pale at the thought of his brutal awkwardness, and Polly burst into a ringing peal of laughter and confessed that the pin had n’t touched her, and Edgar called her a deceitful little wretch.  This naturally occupied some time, and then there was the second verse:—­

      “The March winds blow,
      I watch her go,
  Her eye is blue and clear;
      Her cheek is brown
      And soft as down
  To those who see it near. 
      Hey!  Dolly!  Ho!  Dolly! 
      Dolly shall be mine,
  Before the spray is white with May
      Or blooms the eglantine.”

After this singing-lesson was over it was nearly eleven o’clock, but up to this time Edgar had shown no realizing sense of his engagements.

“The dinner is over, and the theatre party is safe,” thought Polly.  “Now comes the ‘tug of war,’ that mysterious game of billiards.”

But Mrs. Oliver was equal to the occasion.  When Edgar looked at his watch, she said:  “Polly, run and get Mrs. Noble’s last letter, dear;” and then, when she was alone with Edgar, “My dear boy, I have a favor to ask of you, and you must be quite frank if it is not convenient for you to grant it.  As to-morrow will be Saturday, perhaps you have no recitations, and if not, would it trouble you too much to stay here all night and attend to something for me in the morning?  I will explain the matter, and then you can answer me more decidedly.  I have received a letter from a Washington friend who seems to think it possible that a pension may be granted to me.  He sends a letter of introduction to General M------, at the Presidio, who, he says, knew Colonel Oliver, and will be able to advise me in the matter.  I am not well enough to go there for some days, and of course I do not like to send Polly alone.  If you could go out with her, give him the letter of introduction, and ask him kindly to call upon us at his leisure, and find out also if there is any danger in a little delay just now while I am ill, it would be a very great favor.”

“Of course I will, with all the pleasure in life, Mrs. Oliver,” replied Edgar, with the unspoken thought, “Confound it!  There goes my game; I promised the fellows to be there, and they ’ll guy me for staying away!  However, there ’s nothing else to do.  I should n’t have the face to go out now and come in at one or two o’clock in the morning.”

Polly entered just then with the letter.

“Edgar is kind enough to stay all night with us, dear, and take you to the Presidio on the pension business in the morning.  If you will see that his room is all right, I will say good-night now.  Our guest-chamber is downstairs, Edgar; I hope you will be very comfortable.  Breakfast at half past eight, please.”

When the door of Mrs. Howe’s bedroom closed on Edgar, Polly ran upstairs, and sank exhausted on her own bed.