"And you fixed the box to bring him home in," said Dwight.

"I know it, but I only did it to please Caleb. The squirrel is his
altogether."

So Dwight had to return disappointed.

When Caleb came in, Mary Anna was putting up her work, and arranging her
things neatly in her drawer.

"Well, Caleb," said she, "and what did Raymond say?"

"O, he said it was mine," replied Caleb.

"What was yours?" said Mary Anna.

"The squirrel."

"The squirrel!" repeated Mary Anna; "you went to ask him what sort of a
boy you had been."

"O!" said Caleb--"there!--I forgot all about that. I'll run and ask him
now."

"No,--stop," said Mary Anna; "it is time for supper now; and besides, I
will take your word for it; you are a pretty honest boy. You say you was
a pleasant boy all day."

"Yes," said Caleb, "I was." He had forgotten his _feelings_ of
ill-humour, when Raymond would not come and light his fire.

"And you think I ought to make you a picture book for a reward."

"Yes," said Caleb, "I wish you would."

"But I cannot tell how pleasant in mind you have been all day, unless I
know what you have had to try you."

"To try me?" asked Caleb.

"Yes, I want to know what troubles, or difficulties, or disappointments
you had to bear, and did bear patiently and pleasantly."

Caleb looked a little perplexed.

"You know, Caleb," she continued, "there is no merit in being pleasant
unless things go wrong."

"Isn't there?" said Caleb.

"Why, no," said Mary Anna, as she shut up her work-table drawer, "is
there?"

"Why no," said Caleb, smiling; for he could not help smiling, while yet
he was a little disappointed at finding all his fancied goodness melted
away.

"Now, did you have a good time in the woods to-day?"

"Yes," said Caleb.

"Did Raymond take good care of you?"

"Yes," said he.

"And did you have a good dinner?"

"Yes; and a noble great fire," said Caleb.

"You little rogue, then!" said Mary Anna, laughing, and stabbing at his
sides with her finger; "here you have been having a beautiful time in
the woods, amusing yourself all day, and had every thing to please you;
and now you come to me to pay you for not having been impatient and
fretful! You little rogue!"

Caleb turned, and ran laughing away, Mary Anna after him, and pointing
at him with her finger. Caleb made his escape into the front entry, and
hid behind the door. Mary Anna pretended to have lost sight of him, and
not to know where he was; and