e story frightened me."

"There now!" said Molly triumphantly. "You see it frightened aunty too.
So I'm _not_ such a baby after all."

"Yes, you are," said Ralph. "People might be frightened without making
such a fuss. Molly declared she would rather not go to Paris at all.
_That's_ what I call being babyish--it isn't the feeling frightened
that's babyish--for people might feel frightened and still _be_ brave,
mightn't they, grandmother?"

"Certainly, my boy. That is what _moral_ courage means."

"Oh!" said Molly, as if a new idea had dawned upon her. "I see. Then it
doesn't matter if I am frightened if I don't tell any one."

"Not exactly that," said grandmother. "I would _like_ you all to be
strong and sensible, and to have good nerves, which it would take a good
deal to startle, as well as to have what certainly is best of all, plenty
of moral courage."

"And if Molly is frightened, she certainly couldn't help telling," said
Sylvia, laughing. "She does _so_ pinch whoever is next her."

"There was nothing about a dog in the story of the bed we heard," said
Molly. "It was in a book that a boy at school lent Ralph. I wouldn't ever
be frightened if I had Fusser, I don't think. I do so wish I had asked
papa to let him come with us--just _in case_, you know, of the beds
having anything funny about them: it would be so comfortable to have
Fusser."

At this they all laughed, and aunty promised that if Molly felt
dissatisfied with the appearance of her bed, she would exchange with her.
And not long after, Sylvia and Molly began to look so sleepy, in spite of
their protestations that the dustman's cart was nowhere near _their_
door, that aunty insisted they must be mistaken, _she_ had heard his
warning bell ringing some minutes ago. So the two little sisters came
round to say good-night.

"Good night, grandmother dear," said Molly, in a voice which tried hard
to be brisk as usual through the sleepiness.

Grandmother laid her hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. Molly
had nice eyes when you looked at them closely: they were honest and
candid, though of too pale a blue to show at first sight the expression
they really contained. Just now too, they were blinking and winking a
little. Still grandmother must have been able to read in them what she
wanted, for her face looked satisfied when she withdrew her gaze.

"So I am _really_ to be 'grandmother dear,' to you, my dear funny little
girl?" she said.

"Of