E. An' ye were talkin--an'--I'll do the rest. Though what in the
wurrld I am GOIN' to say and do I don't know at all. Only YOU were not
goin' out o' this house! That's one thing we've got to stick to. Give
me the bag."

Wearing Ethel's hat and cloak and with Ethel's travelling-bag in her
hand, staunch little Peg turned to meet the disturbed family, with no
thought of herself, what the one abiding resolution to, at any and at
all costs, save her cousin Ethel from disgrace.

CHAPTER XI

"THE REBELLION OF PEG"

"Take care, mater--keep back. Let me deal with them." And Alaric with
an electric flash-light appeared at the head of the stairs, followed by
his mother holding a night-lamp high over her head, and peering down
into the dark room. "It was from here that the sound came, dear," she
said to Alaric.

"Stay up there," replied the valiant youth: "I'll soon find out what's
up."

As Alaric reached the bottom of the stairs, the door just by the
staircase opened noiselessly and a large body protruded into the room
covered in an equally gigantic bath robe. As the face came stealthily
through the doorway, Alaric made one leap and caught the invader by the
throat.

A small, frightened voice cried out:

"Please don't do that, sir. It's only me!"

Alaric flashed the electric-light in the man's face and found it was
the unfortunate Jarvis.

"What are you doing here?" asked Alaric.

"I heard a disturbance of some kind and came down after it, sir,"
replied Jarvis, nervously.

"Guard that door then! and let no one pass. If there is any one
trespassing in here I want to find 'em."

He began a systematic search of the room until suddenly the reflector
from the flash-light shone full on the two girls.

Ethel was sitting back fainting in a chair, clinging to Peg, who was
standing beside her trembling.

"ETHEL!" cried Alaric in amazement.

"MARGARET!" said Mrs. Chichester in anger.

"Well, I mean to say," ejaculated the astounded young man as he walked
across to the switch and flooded the room with light.

"That will do," ordered Mrs. Chichester, dismissing the equally
astonished footman, who passed out, curiosity in every feature.

"What are you two girls playin' at?" demanded Alaric.

"What does this mean?" asked Mrs. Chichester severely.

"Sure, Ethel heard me here," answered Peg, "an' she came in, an'--"

"What were you doing here?"

"I was goin' out an' Ethel heard me an' came in an' stopped me--