“What do you mean?” said poor Alice.  “I really and truly, Kathleen, do want to help you.  You and I could work every evening together; I could, and would, see you through your lessons.  Thus you would very quickly get to the head of your class, and get your removes without trouble at Christmas.”

“I suppose you mean to be kind,” said Kathleen.  “I will think it over.  Let me alone now.”

She gave a portentous yawn.  Ben heard her, came and sat down on an ottoman not far off, and began kicking his legs.

“Benny,” said his sister, “if you have done your lessons, you had better go to bed.”

“I don’t want to go so early.  You always treat me as if I were a baby.”

“Well, please yourself.  I am going upstairs to fetch my books.  I have a good hour and a half of hard work to get through before bedtime.”

The moment Kathleen and Ben were alone, Ben rushed up to her side and began to whisper.

“It is all as right as possible,” he said.  “I am going up to bed as usual, and when mother and Alice and Dave are safe in their rooms I’ll slip down again.  I’ll be in the hall.  Don’t ring when you come back; just walk up the steps and scratch against the door with your knuckles, and I’ll hear you and let you in in a trice.  I am awfully pleased about that sovereign; it will make me one of the greatest toffs in the school.  I’ll have more money than any of the other fellows.  I’m so excited I can scarcely think of anything else.  I know I’m doing wrong, but you did offer me such a tremendous temptation.  Now I hear Alice’s step.  It will be all right, Kathleen; don’t you fear.”

Kathleen smiled to herself.  The rest of her programme was carried out to a nicety.  At a quarter to nine she complained of fatigue, bade Mrs. Tennant an affectionate good-night, nodded to Alice, and left the room.

“Be sure you don’t lock the door,” called Alice after her.  “I sha’n’t be up for quite an hour, and you will be sound asleep by that time.”

“I won’t lock it,” replied Kathleen gently.

When Kathleen had gone upstairs, Mrs. Tennant turned and spoke to her daughter.

“You know, Alice,” she said, “the child is very lovable and kind-hearted—­a little barbarian in some senses of the word, but a fine nature—­of that I am certain.”

“I am so busy to-night, mother,” replied Alice.  “Can’t we defer talking of the charms of Kathleen’s character until after I have done my lessons?”

“Of course, dear,” said her mother.

She drew her basket of mending towards her, put stitch after stitch into the shabby garments, and thought all the time of Kathleen with her bright face and beautiful, merry eyes.

Meanwhile that young lady, having arranged a bolster in her bed to look as like a human being as possible, put on her hat and jacket and ran downstairs.  There was no one in the hall, and she was absolutely daring enough to go out by that door.  Mrs. Tennant raised her head when she heard the door gently shut.