ump pop-corn into her mouth to silence
her, for he felt a particular interest in this tale, and thought it
opened well.

"When the tarts were done, Miss Crane put them away in the best parlor
closet, and said not a word about them, for she wanted to surprise the
boys at tea-time. When the minute came and all were seated at table, she
went to get her tarts, but came back looking much troubled, for what do
you think had happened?"

"Somebody had hooked them!" cried Ned.

"No, there they were, but some one had stolen all the fruit out of
them by lifting up the upper crust and then putting it down after the
gooseberry had been scraped out."

"What a mean trick!" and Nan looked at Tommy, as if to imply that he
would do the same.

"When she told the boys her plan and showed them the poor little
patties all robbed of their sweetness, the boys were much grieved and
disappointed, and all declared that they knew nothing about the matter.
'Perhaps the rats did it,' said Lewis, who was among the loudest to deny
any knowledge of the tarts. 'No, rats would have nibbled crust and all,
and never lifted it up and scooped out the fruit. Hands did that,' said
Miss Crane, who was more troubled about the lie that some one must have
told than about her lost patties. Well, they had supper and went to bed,
but in the night Miss Crane heard some one groaning, and going to
see who it was she found Lewis in great pain. He had evidently eaten
something that disagreed with him, and was so sick that Miss Crane was
alarmed, and was going to send for the doctor, when Lewis moaned out,
'It's the gooseberries; I ate them, and I must tell before I die,' for
the thought of a doctor frightened him. 'If that is all, I'll give you
an emetic and you will soon get over it,' said Miss Crane. So Lewis had
a good dose, and by morning was quite comfortable. 'Oh, don't tell the
boys; they will laugh at me so,' begged the invalid. Kind Miss Crane
promised not to, but Sally, the girl, told the story, and poor Lewis had
no peace for a long time. His mates called him Old Gooseberry, and were
never tired of asking him the price of tarts."

"Served him right," said Emil.

"Badness always gets found out," added Demi, morally.

"No, it don't," muttered Jack, who was tending the apples with great
devotion, so that he might keep his back to the rest and account for his
red face.

"Is that all?" asked Dan.

"No, that is only the first part; the second part is mor