Oh, he always keeps in his upstairs study on Saturday afternoon,鈥� said Tom, who disliked anything sneaking, but was not disinclined to a little stratagem in a worthy cause. So he carried off the sword in triumph mixed with dread 鈥� dread that he might encounter Mr. or Mrs. Stelling 鈥� to his bedroom, where, after some consideration, he hid it in the closet behind some hanging clothes. That night he fell asleep in the thought that he would astonish Maggie with it when she came 鈥� tie it round his waist with his red comforter, and make her believe that the sword was his own, and that he was going to be a soldier. There was nobody but Maggie who would be silly enough to believe him, or whom he dared allow to know he had a sword; and Maggie was really coming next week to see Tom, before she went to a boarding-school with Lucy.

And if you鈥檇 please not to say as I鈥檝e been to speak to you, for my son 鈥榰d be very angry with me for demeaning myself, I know he would, and I鈥檝e trouble enough without being scolded by my children.鈥�

Is there anything the matter, father?鈥� said Tom.

But it came at last, and set down the poor anxious girl, no longer the little wench,鈥� except to her father鈥檚 fond memory.