“He has got to catch me first,” said Phil, with that disposition to swagger in which he delighted to indulge.  Then he burst out eagerly, as he slid his arm round her waist and leaned his head back against her arm:  “It was truly lovely, Katherine, and you would have laughed until you choked if you had been there.  Nick was just setting his foot on the bottom of the ladder, and his face was all smuts and smudges, so that he looked as if he had not washed for a fortnight; he had got his mouth open too, wide open, and I guess that was the first mouthful of clean water that he has swallowed for a good long while past.”

“You are really a shocking boy, and if you get a ducking it will be only what you deserve,” said Katherine, who was laughing at this picture of the discomfiture of Nick Jones.  “But sit down here and let us get our business settled, because we are all tired and longing for bed.”

“I’m not tired,” said Miles, shutting the book he had been reading with a sigh.  It always seemed to be time to go to bed when he wanted to sit up, just as it was always morning and time to get up when he was in the full enjoyment of being in bed.

“But you will be tired to-morrow, and no one who is weary can do the best that is in him,” said Katherine gently.

CHAPTER XXIII

The Majority Decides

To the surprise of Katherine, Mrs. Burton was very anxious that Mr. Selincourt’s offer should be accepted, and she urged that point very strongly.

“If you were a boy, Katherine, I would not say one word to influence you either way.  Even now it is for your sake, not mine, that I should like to take the chance of getting away from this place.  For myself, I would rather be here than at any other place in the wide world; but I do know that you are hopelessly buried alive, and the work you have to do is unsuitable for any girl.”

Katherine put up her hand with a pleading gesture, and there was distress in her eyes as she said hurriedly:  “That is not fair to the boys, Nellie.  I asked that you should all speak for yourselves, not for each other; that can be done afterwards:  the main thing is to know how we each feel about the matter personally.  Now, Miles, let us know what you think?”

Miles fidgeted, looked supremely uncomfortable, and finally burst out:  “I think it is just horrid to go settling things like this about Father, as if he were dead, while he is still alive!”

“Just what I feel myself,” broke in Katherine, giving Miles an affectionate squeeze.  “Still, dear, the necessity has arisen to discuss the business, and we must just face it as other disagreeables have to be met and overcome.  So, putting Father entirely out of the question for the moment, tell us what you think you would like best.”