by this fancy, when my turn came I made a thrilling tale about
Bezee Tucker and my night's adventure. After my hearers were worked up
to a proper state of excitement, I paused for applause.

It came in a most unexpected form, however, for Mrs. Grant burst out
laughing, and the two boys--Johnny and Joe--rolled about in convulsions
of merriment.

Much displeased, I demanded the cause of their laughter, and then joined
in the general shout when Mrs. Grant informed me that Bezee Tucker
lived, died in, and haunted the tumble-down house at the other end of
the lane, and not the cottage where I was staying.

"Then who or what made those mysterious noises?" I asked, relieved but
rather displeased at the downfall of my romance.

"My brother Seth," replied Mrs. Grant, still laughing. "I thought you
might be afraid to be there all alone, so he slipped into the bed-room,
and I forgot to tell you. He's a powerful snorer, and that's one of the
awful sounds.

"The other was the dripping of salt water; for you wanted some, and the
girl got it in a leaky pail. Seth swept out the water when he left the
cottage early in the morning."

I said nothing about having seen through the keyhole the harmless razor;
but wishing to get some praise for my heroic encounter with the burglar,
I mildly asked if it was the custom in York for men as well as turkeys
to roost in trees.

Another burst of laughter from the boys did away with my last hope of
glory. As soon as he could speak, Joe answered--

"Johnny planned to be up early to pick the last cherries off that tree.
I wanted to get ahead of him, and as I was going a-fishing, I went off
quietly before daylight."

"Did you get the cherries?" I asked, bound to have some laugh on my
side.

"Guess I didn't," grumbled Joe, rubbing his knees, while Johnny added--

"He got a horrid scare and a right good scraping, for he didn't know
any one was down there. Couldn't go a-fishing, either--he was so
lame--and I had the cherries after all. Served him right, didn't it?"

No answer was necessary. Mrs. Grant went off to repeat the tale in the
kitchen, and the sounds of hearty laughter that I heard, assured me that
Seth was enjoying the joke as well as the rest of us.

* * * * *

Language Lesson.--Let pupils make out an _analysis_ for so much of the
last three lessons as may be included under the subject--"A Night at
the Cottage."

Suggestion.--The _analysis_ of