tay till Tom came in the
morning."

"Why, I should have been scared out of my seventeen senses," said Joy,
creeping into bed. "Didn't you scream?"

"No. That wouldn't have done any good. See here, Joy, if you find me
going to sleep, pinch me, will you?"

"Oh, yes," said Joy, with alacrity. "I shall be awake, I know."

There was a silence. Gypsy broke it by turning her head over on the
pillow with a whisk, and opening her eyes savagely, quite indignant to
find them shut.

"Joy."

No answer.

"Joy, you're going----"

Joy's head turned over with another whisk.

"No, I'm not. I'm just as wide awake as ever I was."

Another silence.

"Gypsy!"

Gypsy jumped.

"_You're_ going to sleep."

"It isn't any such thing," said Gypsy, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"I wonder if it isn't most morning," said Joy, in a tone of cheerful
indifference.

"Most morning! Mother'd say we'd been in bed just ten minutes, I
suppose."

Joy stifled a groan, and by dint of great exertions turned it into a
laugh.

"All the longer to lie awake. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Ye-es. Let's talk. People that sit up all night talk, I guess."

"Well, I guess it would be a good plan. You begin."

"I don't know anything to say."

"Well, I'm sure I don't."

Silence again.

"Joy Breynton."

"We-ell?"

"I guess I'll keep awake just as well if I--shut up--my eyes. Don't
you--"

That was the end of Gypsy's sentence, and Joy never asked for the rest
of it. Just about an hour and a half after, Gypsy heard a noise, and was
somewhat surprised to see Joy standing up with her head in the washbowl.

"What _are_ you doing?"

"Oh, just dipping my head into the water. They say it helps keep people
awake."

"Oh--well. See here; we haven't talked much lately, have we?"

"No. I thought I wouldn't disturb you."

Gypsy made a ghastly attempt to answer, but couldn't quite do it.

At the end of another indefinite period Joy opened her eyes under the
remarkable impression that Oliver Cromwell was carrying her to the
guillotine in a cocoa-nut shell; it was really a very remarkable
impression, considering that she had been broad awake ever since she
came to bed. As soon as her eyes were opened she opened her mouth
likewise--to gasp out a little scream. For something very tall and
white was sitting on the bedpost with folded arms.

"Why, Gypsy Breynton!"

"What?"

"What are you up there for?"

"Got up so's to keep awake. It's real fun.