The room was getting more and more dim, and Avelyn's spirits fell in exact ratio. She was beginning to feel an almost superstitious horror of the plaster Venus. Suppose it were to come to life, like Pygmalion's statue of Galatea? The bare fancy gave her shivers, and a sudden sound made her turn with a start. It was nothing less than an unmistakable tap on the outside of the window. Avelyn's nerves were strung at highest pitch. She almost screamed aloud. Peering in through the darkness was a face. She forced herself to approach and look, and with a revulsion of feeling recognized the enquiring countenance of her brother David, with his freckled nose pressed flat against the glass. He tapped again, and she opened the window. "Dave! You mascot! How did you get here?" "Climbed up the spout!" chuckled David. "It was quite easy. Move out of the way! I'm coming in." He dropped inside the room, then turning to the window again, gave a soft whistle. "Tony's down below," he explained, "and he'll swarm up too, now I've given him the signal. I'll just lend him a hand over that last piece of coping. Here he is! Come on, old chap! We've struck the right shanty after all. Told you you might trust your grandfather!" Anthony made his appearance with equal caution. His round face was wreathed in delighted smiles. "It was a little difficult to fix exactly _which_ window," he volunteered. "But how did you know I was here?" asked Avelyn ecstatically. "We met Pamela at the station, and she told us all about it. So, instead of going home by the 4.45, we thought we'd come up and see how you were getting on." "We made Pam describe which room you were in," added David. "I say, it's a bit of beastly bad luck for you! Pretty stiff, I call it, to be shut up here!" "It's too ghastly for words!" "Cheer oh! We've brought you something. Look!" David felt in his pocket, and produced a paper bag full of toffee and a copy of _Tit Bits_. "It'll do to read. We'd have got you more, only we didn't happen to have much money with us." "It was lucky we met Pam before we got into the train," commented Anthony. "We were earlier than usual at the station to-day. As a rule we tear up at the last moment." "It was ripping of you to come!" "Well, we couldn't desert you, old sport, at such a pinch." "I don't believe anyone could have such decent brothers." Avelyn gazed at him through the gathering darkness with admiration. At that moment a tread of footsteps and a rattle of crockery sounded in the passage. "Goody! It's my tea coming!" she gasped. There was not time for the boys to make their exit through the window. While the door handle was turning they fled to what cover they could find. David took shelter behind the pedestal of Apollo, and Anthony crouched in a corner among some drawing boards. Fortunately it was Miss Dickens who entered, and Miss Dickens was short-sighted.