“My darling little girl,” he said, “I’m so glad you’re back with us for our Ourdays, and you shall ride just where you want to.”

“Let her take my place,” said Kitty, kindly.  “I’d just as lieve go in the other car, and I don’t wonder Midget feels like that.”

So it was settled that Kitty should ride with the Bryants next day, and then the three children were sent to bed, while the elders stayed up a few hours later.

The girls had a large room, with two beds, and with a delightful balcony, on which a long French window opened.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” said Marjorie, softly, as she stepped over the sill, and stood in the soft moonlight, looking down on the hotel flower gardens.

“Yes, indeedy,” agreed Kitty; “I say, Mops, I’d like to jump down, flip! into that geranium bed!”

“Oh, Kitty, what a goose you are!  Don’t do such a thing!”

“I’m not going to.  I only said I’d like to; and I’d play it was a sea,—­a geranium sea, and I’d swim around in it.”

“Kit, you’re crazy!  Come on to bed, before you do anything foolish.”

“I’m not going to do it, really, Mops! but I like to imagine it.  I’d waft myself off of this balcony, and waft down to the scarlet of the geraniums and fall in.”

“Yes, and be picked up with two broken legs and a sprained ankle!”

“Well—­and then I’d see a little boat, on the red geranium sea,—­I’d be a fairy, you know,—­and I’d get in the little boat——­”

“You come and get in your little bed, Miss Kitty,” said Nannie, from the window, and laughing gayly, the two girls went in and went to bed.

“Anyway, I’m going to dream of that red geranium bed,” announced Kitty, as she cuddled into the smooth, white sheets.

“All right,” said Midget, drowsily; “dream anything you like.”

CHAPTER XVI

RED GERANIUMS

Wearied by the journey, and the fun of it, Marjorie fell at once into a deep, quiet sleep.  Kitty’s sleep was deep, too, but not quiet.  The child tossed around and waved her arms, muttering about a geranium sea, and a little boat on it.

Nurse Nannie puttered about the room for some time, picking up things, and laying out the girls’ clothes for the next day.  Then she put out the lights and went away to her own room.

It was, perhaps, ten o’clock when Kitty threw back the bedclothing, and slowly got out of bed.  She was sound asleep, and she walked across the room with a wavering, uncertain motion, but went straight to the French window, which was still part way open.

Kitty had sometimes walked in her sleep before, but it was not really a habit with her, and the family had never thought it necessary to safeguard her.

It was a still, warm night, and when she stepped out on the balcony, there was no breeze or waft of cool air to awaken her.

She paused at the low rail of the little balcony, and murmured, “Oh, the lovely soft red flowers!  I will lie down on them!” and over the railing she went, plump down into the geranium bed!