ed out to them as he went by, saying:

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
And I can run away from you, I can!"

Then the barn full of threshers set out to run after him. But though
they ran fast, they could not catch him. And he ran on till he came to a
field full of mowers. He called out to them:

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
A barn full of threshers,
And I can run away from you, I can!"

Then the mowers began to run after him, but they couldn't catch him. And
he ran on till he came to a cow. He called out to her:

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
A barn full of threshers,
A field full of mowers,
And I can run away from you, I can!"

But though the cow started at once, she couldn't catch him. And soon he
came to a pig. He called out to the pig:

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
A barn full of threshers,
A field full of mowers,
A cow,
And I can run away from you, I can!"

But the pig ran, and couldn't catch him. And he ran till he came across
a fox, and to him he called out:

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man,
A barn full of threshers,
A field full of mowers,
A cow and a pig,
And I can run away from you, I can!"

Then the fox set out to run. Now, foxes can run very fast, and so the
fox soon caught the gingerbread boy and began to eat him up.

Presently the gingerbread boy said: "O dear! I'm quarter gone!" And
then: "Oh, I'm half gone!" And soon: "I'm three-quarters gone!" And at
last: "I'm all gone!" and never spoke again.

[N] First published in _St. Nicholas_. Used by permission of the
publishers, The Century Company.

#STORIES for LITTLE BOYS#

MISCHIEF

BY ROSAMOND UPHAM

Mischief was a cunning little fellow from the very first day that I saw
him. Such a round, plump little body, such short, clumsy legs, and such
a roguish face; just the one of all his nine brothers and sisters about
whom to write a story, and so you shall hear of his preparations for the
long journey upon which he went when he was two months old.

His playmates were sent away, one by one, until at last he was left all
alone, with only the mastiff Rex for a companion, and a most forlorn
little pup he was, running about all day long, tr