An Old-fashioned Girl by Louisa M. Alcott

not be recognized.

“Then we put our night-gowns over our dresses, and were laid

peacefully in bed when Betsey came up, earlier than usual; for it

was evident that Miss Cotton felt a little suspicious at our sudden

weariness.

“For half an hour we lay laughing and whispering, as we waited for

the signal from Sally. At last we heard a cricket chirp shrilly under

the window, and flying up, saw a little figure below in the twilight.

” ‘O, quick! quick!’ cried Sally, panting with haste. ‘Draw up the

basket and then get me in, for I saw Mr. Cotton in the market, and

ran all the way home, so that I might get in before he came.’ “Up

came the heavy basket, bumping and scraping on the way, and

smelling, O, so nice! Down went the rope, and with a long pull, a

strong pull, and a pull all together, we hoisted poor Sally half-way

up to the window, when, sad to tell, the rope slipped and down she

fell, only being saved from broken bones by the hay-cock under

the window.

“‘He ‘s coming! he ‘s coming! O pull me up, for mercy sake!’ cried

Sally, scrambling to her feet unhurt, but a good deal shaken.

“We saw a dark figure approaching, and dragged her in with more

bumping and scraping, and embraced her with rapture, for we had

just escaped being detected by Mr. John, whose eyes were as sharp

as his ears were dull.

“We heard the front-door shut, then a murmur of voices, and then

Betsey’s heavy step coming up stairs.

“Under the bed went the basket, and into the beds went the

conspirators, and nothing could have been more decorous than the

appearance of the room when Betsey popped her head in.

” ‘Master’s an old fidget to send me travelling up again, just

because he fancied he saw something amiss at the window.

Nothing but a curtain flapping, or a shadder, for the poor dears is

sleeping like lambs.’ “We heard her say this to herself, and a

general titter agitated the white coverlets as she departed.

“Sally was in high feather at the success of her exploit, and danced

about like an elf, as she put her night-gown on over her frock,

braided her hair in funny little tails all over her head, and fastened

the great red pin-cushion on her bosom for a breastpin in honor of

the feast.

“The other girls went to their rooms as agreed upon, and all was

soon dark and still up stairs, while Miss Cotton began to enjoy

herself below, as she always did when ‘her young charges’ were

safely disposed of.

“Then ghosts began to walk, and the mice scuttled back to their

holes in alarm, for white figures glided from room to room, till all

were assembled in the little chamber.

“The watch was set at the entry door, the signal agreed upon, the

candle lighted, and the feast spread forth upon a newspaper on the

bed, with the coverlet arranged so that it could be whisked over the

refreshments at a moment’s notice.

“How good everything was, to be sure! I don’t think I ‘ve eaten any

pies since that had such a delicious flavor as those broken ones,

eaten hastily, in that little oven of a room, with Sally making jokes

and the others enjoying stolen sweets with true girlish relish. Of

course it was very wicked, but I must tell the truth.

“We were just beginning on the cake when the loud scratching of a

rat disturbed us.

” ‘The signal! fly! run! hide! Hush, don’t laugh!’ cried several

voices, and we scuttled into bed as rapidly and noiselessly as

possible, with our mouths and hands full.

“A long pause, broken by more scratching; but as no one came, we

decided on sending to inquire what it meant. I went and found

Mary, the picket guard half asleep, and longing for her share of the

feast.

” ‘It was a real rat; I ‘ve not made a sound. Do go and finish; I ‘m

tired of this,’ said Mary, slapping away at the mosquitoes.

“Back I hurried with the good news. Every one flew up, briskly.

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