characters from Alice in Wonderland. They are all framed in pink.

Do you know what I would like to have on my walls? I've thought about this very carefully, just in case my father should ever lose his mind and say I can redecorate. I'm not allowed to put up posters because the thumbtacks would make too many holes in the wall. But assuming Dad was really bonkers and didn't care about holes, I'd put up a giant poster of a kitten or maybe several kittens, a big photo of the members of the Baby-sitters Club, a poster of New York City, and maybe one of Paris.

I would take down Humpty and Alice, but leave the picture of my family.

My gaze drifted from my walls to the window. I snapped to attention as a light went on in Kristy's room. Maybe I could wave to her and let her know that as far as I was concerned, the fight was over. But Kristy pulled her shade down quickly, not even looking out the window.

I checked my watch. It was almost eight o'clock. In another hour, I could try signaling to her with my flashlight. I worked out a flashlight code so that we can "talk" at night without the telephone. One of us usually

flashes to the other shortly after nine o'clock. At that time, my father has already said goodnight to me. I'm free to read in bed until 9:30, but I know he won't check on me. Kristy and I have been signaling to each other for a long time and we have never been caught.

I finished my homework and changed into my nightgown. By five minutes to nine I was in bed, reading a very exciting book called A Wrinkle in Time.

Dad stuck his head in the door. "Oh, good. I see you're all ready for bed."

I nodded.

"What are you reading?"

"A Wrinkle in Time. It's on Mr. Counts' reading list." (Mr. Counts is the school librarian.)

"Oh, that's fine. Well, good-night, Mary Anne."