d, feeling sure, that, if the drum should come in,
Mrs. Ducklow, and perhaps Mr. Ducklow himself, would be unable to resist
the temptation of thumping it softly to try its sound.

Mrs. Ducklow was busy taking her husband's supper out of the oven, where
it had been keeping warm for him, pouring hot water into the teapot, and
giving the last touches to the table. Then came the familiar grating
noise of a boot on the scraper. Mrs. Ducklow stepped quickly to open the
door for Mr. Ducklow. Taddy, well aware that he was committing an
indiscretion, but inspired by the wild hope of seeing a new drum come
into the kitchen, ventured to unlatch the stairway-door, open it a
crack, and peep.

Mr. Ducklow entered, bringing a number of parcels containing purchases
from the stores, but no drum visible to Taddy.

"Did you buy?" whispered Mrs. Ducklow, relieving him of his load.

Mr. Ducklow pointed mysteriously at the stairway-door, lifting his
eyebrows interrogatively.

"Taddy?" said Mrs. Ducklow. "Oh, he's abed,--though I never in my life
had such a time to git him off out of the way; for he'd somehow got
possessed with the idee that you was to buy something, and he wanted to
set up and see what it was."

"Strange how children will ketch things sometimes, best ye can do to
prevent!" said Mr. Ducklow.

"But did ye buy?"

"You better jest take them matches and put 'em out o' the way, fust
thing, 'fore ye forgit it. Matches are dangerous to have layin' around,
and I never feel safe till _they_'re safe."

And Mr. Ducklow hung up his hat, and laid his overcoat across a chair in
the next room, with a carefulness and deliberation exhausting to the
patience of good Mrs. Ducklow, and no less trying to that of Master
Taddy, who was waiting to hear the important question answered.

"Come!" said she, after hastily disposing of the matches, "what's the
use of keeping me in suspense? _Did_ ye buy?"

"Where did ye put 'em?" asked Mr. Ducklow, taking down the bootjack.

"In the little tin pail, where we always keep 'em, of course! Where
should I put 'em?"

"You needn't be cross! I asked, 'cause I didn't hear ye put the cover
on. I don't believe ye _did_ put the cover on, either; and I sha'n't be
easy till ye do."

Mrs. Ducklow returned to the pantry; and her husband, pausing a moment,
leaning over a chair, heard the cover go on the tin pail with a click
and a clatter which betrayed, that, if ever there was an angry and
impatient cov