ngly.
"Children, you must all be quiet in the morning so as not to wake her
early. And you must be very gentle and kind to her, for you know she is
not accustomed to companions."

"Yes, mamma," said Floss and Carrots promptly. Mott said nothing, for,
_of course_, the speech could not have been addressed to _him_. Mr.
Maurice Desart, nearly thirteen years old, could not be supposed to be a
companion to a mite of a girl of six.

"It won't be difficult to be quiet to-morrow morning," said Floss to
Carrots, "for I expect I shall be very sleepy, as I have _quite_ made up
my mind to stay awake to-night, till I hear them come."

It was then eight o'clock, and Floss was going to bed. Carrots had been
in bed nearly an hour, but was not yet asleep. He soon dropped off,
however, and how long do you think Floss kept awake? Till twenty-three
minutes past eight, or not so late probably, for that was the time by
the nursery clock, when nurse came in to see that her charges were
tucked up for the night, and found them both fast asleep!

They were in a state of great expectation the next morning when they
were being dressed, but they remembered their promise and were very
quiet.

"When shall we see Sybil?" asked Carrots; "will she have breakfast in
the nursery?"

"Of course not," said Floss, "she won't be up for ever so long, I dare
say."

"Poor little thing, she must be very tired," said nurse.

"Did you see her last night?" asked Floss eagerly.

Nurse shook her head. "It was past ten when they arrived," she said,
"the little lady was put to bed at once, your mamma and sisters only saw
her for a minute."

So Floss and Carrots ate their bread and milk in undiminished curiosity.
Not long afterwards the bell rang for prayers in the dining-room as
usual, and the two, hand in hand, went in to take their places among the
others.

They were rather late, Captain Desart had the Prayer Book and Bible
open before him, and was looking impatient, so Floss and Carrots sat
down on their little chairs and left "good-mornings" till after prayers.
There was a strange lady beside their mother, and, yes, beside the
strange lady a strange little girl! Was _that_ Sybil? Where was the
fair-haired, blue-eyed, waxen, doll-like Sybil, they had expected to
see?

What they did see was worth looking at, however. It was a very pretty
Sybil after all. Small and dark, dark-eyed, dark-haired, and browny-red
as to complexion, Sybil was more like a gips