the fun; Mary remained at home to entertain him. The last thing Mrs.

Thatcher said to Becky, was:

"You'll not get back till late. Perhaps you'd better stay all night

with some of the girls that live near the ferry-landing, child."

"Then I'll stay with Susy Harper, mamma."

Very well. And mind and behave yourself and don't be any trouble."

Presently, as they tripped along, Tom said to Becky:

"Say--I'll tell you what we'll do. 'Stead of going to Joe Harper's

we'll climb right up the hill and stop at the Widow Douglas'. She'll

have ice-cream! She has it most every day--dead loads of it. And she'll

be awful glad to have us."

Oh, that will be fun!"

Then Becky reflected a moment and said:

But what will mamma say?"

How'll she ever know?"

The girl turned the idea over in her mind, and said reluctantly:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer