Now then, courage--up you get!" And up they did get, but it did require courage: and the getting down was even worse--their cheeks blazed and their hearts grew hot with anger, and oh! the irritation of their poor unhappy legs.
"Kitty," whispered Betty eagerly, as they hurried into the house, "come upstairs, quick; I've thought of something.

It's a splendid idea!" With the excuse that they were going to take off their hats and coats, they rushed up to their bedroom and shut themselves in.

Aunt Pike was a little surprised at their neatness; Dan was a little hurt at being left so soon, but Betty could not think of that then.
"Kitty," she breathed, as she closed the door and leaned against it, "I know what we will do.

We will wear our cotton stockings underneath these horrors! They won't scratch us then, will they?
And our holidays won't be spoilt, and Aunt Pike won't know, and--don't you think it's a perfectly splendid idea ?" "Splendid," cried Kitty enthusiastically, dropping on to the floor and beginning to unlace her boots that very moment.

"Oh, quickly let us make haste and change them; I cannot, cannot endure this torment a minute longer.