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.