e day and dine.
In consequence it was near midnight when he returned to Wilton Chase,
and the fact that to-morrow was his birthday again absolutely escaped
his memory.

CHAPTER IX.

FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

"Maggie, Maggie, wake up, I say!"

"Yes, who's there. I'm so sleepy. Oh, it's you, Eric. What do you
want?"

"It's father's birthday, and the clock has just struck four. You
promised you'd get up at four."

"Yes; but, oh dear me, I _am_ so sleepy."

Marjorie yawned, and twisted about on her pillow.

"Are you sure it wasn't three that struck, Eric?"

"No, four; I counted the strokes. I thought you liked getting up
early."

"So I do, but don't talk so loud, or you'll wake Ermie."

"Catch me wanting her to get up, cross old thing!"

"Eric, you are unkind, and Basil wouldn't like it."

"Bother Basil! what do I care? I say, Mag, are you going to pop out of
bed?"

"I suppose so. Go outside the door and wait for me, Eric, and _do_ be
quiet."

Eric departed, whistling under his breath, and kicking his heels so
restlessly that only the soundest sleeper could still remain in the
land of dreams.

Marjorie rubbed her eyes, stretched herself, yawned, and finally,
stimulated by threatening knocks of Eric's on the other side of the
door, managed to tear herself away from her warm snug bed. She saw the
sunlight streaming in through the closed window-curtains, but August
though it was, this early hour of the morning was chilly, and Marjorie
shivered as she tumbled not too tidily into her clothes. Eric would
not give her time to take her usual cold plunge-bath, and she was
decidedly of opinion that plans which looked delightful the night
before are less alluring when viewed by the candid light of morning.

Marjorie was a hearty child in every way, hearty at work and at play,
hearty, too, at sleep, and it was hard to be debarred of quite a third
of her usual allowance. She dipped her face and neck, however, in cold
water, which effectually woke her up, and when she had brushed out her
thick hair, and knelt for a moment or two at her little bed to say her
usual morning prayers, she felt quite cheerful, and joined Eric with
her usual sunny good humored face.

"That's right," said Eric, clasping her hand. "Isn't the morning
scrumptious? Not a bit of a cloud anywhere. Now let's be off to wake
father."

"To wake father! at four o'clock in the morning! What do you mean,
Eric?"

"It's twelve minutes