"So perhaps," continued Polly, "you would go downstairs again, Aunt Maria. Helen, will you take Aunt Maria to the drawing-room? I will come as soon as I see the supper things put away. Helen, why do you look at me like that? What's the matter?" "Oh, Polly!" said Helen, in her most reproachful tones. She was turning away, but Aunt Maria caught her rather roughly by the shoulder. "Do _all_ this numerous party belong to the family?" she said. "I see here present thirteen children. I never knew before that my sister had such an enormous family." Helen felt in far too great a state of collapse to make any reply; but Polly's saucy, glib tones were again heard. "These are our visitors, Aunt Maria. Allow me to introduce them. Master and Miss Ricketts, Masters Tom, Jim, and Peter Jones. This is Maggie, my satellite, and devoted friend, and--and----" But Aunt Maria's patience had reached its tether. She was a stout, heavily made woman, and when she walked into the center of Polly's garrison she quickly dispersed it. "March!" she said, laying her hand heavily on the girl's shoulder. "To your room this instant. Come, I shall see you there, and lock you in. You are a very bad, wicked, heartless girl, and I am bitterly ashamed of you. To your room this minute. While your father is away you are under my control, and I _insist_ on being obeyed." "Oh, lor'!" gasped Maggie. "Run," she whispered to her brother and sister. "Make for the door, quick. Oh, ain't it awful! Oh, poor dear Miss Polly! Why, that dreadful old lady will almost kill her." But no, Polly was still equal to the emergency. "You need not hold me, Aunt Maria," she said, in a quiet voice, "I can go without that. Good night, children. I am sorry our jolly time has had such an unpleasant ending. Now then, I'll go with you, Aunt Maria." "In front, then," said Aunt Maria. "No loitering behind. Straight to your room." Polly walked down the dusty ladder obediently enough; Aunt Maria, scarlet in the face, stumped and waddled after her; Helen, very pale, and feeling half terrified, brought up the rear. All went well, and the truant exhibited no signs of rebellion until they reached the wide landing which led in one direction to the girl's bedroom, in the other to the staircase. Here Polly turned at bay. "I'm not going to my room at present," she said. "If I've been naughty, father can punish me when he comes home. You can tell anything you like to father when he comes back on Monday. But I'm not going to obey you. You have no authority over me, and I'm not responsible to you. Father can punish me as much as he likes when you have told him. I'm going downstairs, now; it's too early for bed. I've not an idea of obeying you." "We will see to that," said Aunt Maria. "You are quite the naughtiest child I ever came across. Now then, Miss, if you don't go patiently, and on your own feet, you shall be conveyed to your room in my arms. I am quite strong enough, so you can choose."