heard her aunt's footsteps on the stairs.

Mrs. Pike went first to Tony's room, and Kitty, leaning up, listened in
a perfect tremor of nervousness for what might follow. Tony was no good
at pretending, but, as good luck would have it, there was no need of
make-believe on his part, for he had been so tired he had fallen fast
asleep as soon as he had cuddled down under the bedclothes, and Mrs.
Pike, after just a glance, came away quite satisfied. Then Kitty heard
her approaching their room.

"Oh!" she thought with dismay, "she is bringing Anna with her;" for
Mrs. Pike was talking to some one in a low voice. "What bad luck; Anna
sees through everything. I wonder if Betty hears too. If she doesn't
she is sure to jump. Betty! Betty!" she called, as loud as she dared,
but the next moment the door opened and Aunt Pike entered with a candle
in her hand, and followed by Anna.

"Dear, dear," she said, as she tripped over something, "how untidy!
What is it, Anna?"

Anna stooped and picked up one of Betty's discarded gray stockings.
For once Betty's untidiness served them a good turn. Seeing the
stockings on the floor, it never occurred to Aunt Pike but that they had
both undressed and got into bed in the usual fashion. The first thing,
though, that caught Anna's eye was the red bow in Kitty's hair.

"I--I didn't know--" she began, then glanced quickly at Betty's head,
where the blue bow showed up against the pillow, but instead of
remarking on it she suddenly grew silent. Kitty marvelled, for she had
remembered their hair ribbons almost at the same moment as Anna had
caught sight of them, and it was all she could do not to put up her hand
and grab hers off. With the remembrance she almost gave up hope of
escaping detection, and wished devoutly that they had stayed downstairs
and faced the consequences; for to be found out now, hiding in bed in
this fashion, made a discreditable matter of what was really not a very
bad one. But, to her increasing amazement, Anna said nothing, not even
when Aunt Pike said, "I must speak to Katherine in the morning. She has
either neglected to brush her hair at all, or she is very extravagant in
tying it up for the night with a good piece of ribbon. Now come away,
darling; it is quite time you were in bed. I am sure you must be quite
exhausted. You know I did tell you I thought you would not be able to
show them your prize to-night."

"Prize!" gasped Betty, sitting up in bed as s