"Where is Tom?" was the mother's first cry. Dick and Jane had made her
know that they were not far off, by the noise they were both making.

"Tom is quite safe," replied someone.

"And Master Fairchild?" said Mrs. Burke.

Every one then ran different ways to look for Henry, and when he was
found, all covered in blood, in the kitchen, Mrs. Burke was, as she
said, ready to faint away. Everybody, however, was glad when they found
no harm was done to the child, beyond a bloody nose and a lip swelled
to a monstrous size. Kind Mrs. Burke herself took him up to her boys'
room, where she washed him and made him dress himself in a complete
suit of Tom's, engaging to get his own things washed and cleaned for
him in a few hours.

She then brought him down into the parlour, set him on the sofa, gave
him a piece of bread and honey, and begged him not to stir from thence
till his father returned; nor had Henry any wish to disobey her.

Henry was hardly seated on the couch with his bread and honey in his
hand, when first one and then another of the children came in: the last
who came was James, lugging in Tom.

Now, it is very certain that Tom stood even in more need of a scouring
and clean clothes than Henry had done; for he had not used water nor
changed his clothes since he had been rolled by his brothers in the mud
in the yard. This mud had dried upon him, and no one who did not expect
to see him could possibly have known him. He was lugged by main force
into the parlour, though he kicked and struggled, and held on upon
everything within his reach. He came in as he had gone out; but when he
was fairly in, he became quite still, and stood sulking.

"I'll tell you what, mother," said James, "you may thank Tom for all
the mischief--and he knows it."

"Knows what?"

"That it was through him the bull got loose, and that poor Fury is
nearly killed."

"I am sure it was not," answered Tom.

"I say it was," replied James; and then all the brothers and sisters
began to speak at once.

_Judy._ "Just like you, Tom."

_Mary._ "And see what a condition he is in."

_William._ "You know Hodge saw you, Tom, on the top of the shed."

_Tom._ "I am sure he did not."

_Elizabeth._ "What a dirty creature you are, Tom; and how you smell of
the stable!"

_Jane._ "Mother! mother! I want some bread and honey, like Master
Fairchild."

_Dick._ "I want a sop in the pan, mother--mayn't I have a sop?"

In the midst of all this noise a