"Fast asleep!" she said tenderly, and gathered him very softly up into her arms.
"Fast asleep!" said Kate, and something stirred at her heart and made her long to gather up the chubby rogue herself.
"I will lay him down on the sofa," whispered Miss Bibby, but made no haste to do so, so sweet was the sense of the warm, helpless child body in her arms.
But when the little girls had flown to make a nest with cushions and proclaimed it ready, what further excuse had she? She moved gently across the floor with her burden. But the motion broke the boy's light sleep and he stirred in her arms and opened half an eye. It fell on Kate.
"I'm coming," he said sleepily, "wait for me," and sank away again--"wait for me," and struggled back almost to wakefulness.
Miss Bibby sat down on the sofa with him.
"There," she said soothingly; "hush, go to sleep, love."
Love of course instantly opened his eyes wide.
"I'm going wiv her," he said, looking at Kate. "I always go wiv her to the corner."
"But my little boy was naughty," murmured Miss Bibby in his ear. "Is he my own little good boy again?"
"Get the licycle," he commanded the three little sisters who were looking at him yearningly.
"Yes, yes--you had no breakfast, darling--Pauline, quickly, some arrowroot biscuits and a glass of milk."
Anna herself brought in the little tray; she had a soft spot in her heart for this member of the black-hearted sex after all.
"I put cream on them for you, darling," she said, and proffered the biscuits.
Max munched away. "I like cleam," he said, licking it lovingly off one biscuit.
"Well, I am thankful the insurrection is over and that discipline has been so firmly maintained," said Kate with a twinkle in her eye.
"You are sorry, aren't you, darling?" she said, feeling after her formula as a matter of duty.
"Say you are sorry, darling boy," she whispered.
Max patted her cheek and then stole his little arm round her neck in a perfectly cherubic way.
"I'm solly," he said; then he seemed to realize more clearly that the lady's honour had to be vindicated before all these "girls," and he repeated more loudly and without being asked, "I'm velly solly."
"You darling!" cried the delighted Miss Bibby, and clasped and kissed him again.