n and kept in bed, when Mopsey,
looking in for the last time, knew that it was safe to go below. They
had something left even then, and kept up a talk from bed to bed, for a
good long hour more, at least.

"What do you think of the turkey, Bill?" began Master Robert Peabody,
the flat-featured, rising from his pillow like a homely porpoise.

"I don't know," Peabody Junior answered, "I don't care for turkeys."

Little Sam Peabody, the master of the turkey, took this very much to
heart.

"I think he's a very fine one," continued Master Robert, "twice as big
as last year's."

"I'm very glad to hear you say that, Cousin Robert," said little Sam
Peabody, turning over toward the quarter whence the voice of
encouragement came.

"As fine a turkey as I've ever seen," Robert went on. "When do they kill
him?"

Little Sam struggled a little with himself, and answered feebly,
"To-morrow."

There was silence for several minutes, broken presently by Peabody
Junior, fixing his pillow, and saying "Boys, I'm going to sleep."

Allowing some few minutes for this to take effect, Master Robert called
across the chamber to little Sam, "I wonder why Aunt Hannah wears that
old green shade on her face?"

"Pray don't say anything about that," little Sam answered, "Cousin don't
like to hear about that!"

Master Robert--rather a blunt young gentleman--is not to be baffled so
easily.

"I say, Bill, why does your mother wear that green patch over her eye?"
he called out.

There was no answer; he called again in a louder key.

"Hush!" whispered Peabody Junior, who was not asleep, but only thinking
of it, in a tone of fear, "I don't know."

"Is the eye gone?" Robert asked again, bent on satisfaction of some
kind.

"I don't know," was the whispered answer again. "Don't ask me anything
about it."

"I'm afraid Aunt Hannah's not happy," suggested little Sam, timidly.

"Pr'aps she is'nt, Sam," Peabody Junior answered.

"What is the reason," continued little Sam, "I always liked her."

"Don't know," was all Peabody Junior had to reply.

"Did you ever see that other eye? Bill," asked the blunt young
gentleman, whose head was still running on the green shade.

"Oh, go to sleep, will you, Nosey," cried Peabody Junior. "If you don't
leave me alone I'll get up and wollop you."

The flat-featured disappeared with his porpoise face under the
bed-clothes and breathed hard, but kept close; and when he fell asleep
he dreamed of dragons a