t first surprised, was too sensible a girl to be offended.
Papa came in; and, seeing aunt and niece on the hay, he covered them
both up with it, till they begged to be let out, and promised to be
good.

He was just from the garden, and had thrown down his hoe, rake, and
watering-pot, and taken off his straw-hat. But the hat suddenly
disappeared, and papa wondered where it was. Niece Mary had slipped it
under the hay.

EMILY CARTER.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

DREADFULLY CHEATED.

"UNCLE," said George, "what makes you call that great clumsy dog
'Watch'? A watch goes 'tick, tick,' as busy as can be all the time; and
this dog is a lazy old fellow."

"I know that," said Uncle Henry; "but he is called Watch, because he
acts the part of a watchman, or guard, to keep off thieves and
stragglers.

"Don't you know how he barks when any one comes here whom he does not
know? He will not let a stranger come near the house after dark, without
giving notice. I do not suppose it would be possible for any of us to
come into the house without his knowing it."

"I mean to try," said George, "and see if I cannot cheat you, old
fellow." And Watch looked up in his face with a very knowing wink, which
seemed to say, "Don't try to be too smart, or you may get into trouble."

Now, for all George called Watch "clumsy" and "lazy," he was very fond
of him; and many a nice frolic they had together.

That very afternoon, while they were enjoying a grand tumble on the
grass, George's mother called him into the house to do an errand for
her.

George had quite a long walk to take; and, when he got back, it was
quite dark. Just as he reached the garden-gate, he remembered what his
uncle had said that morning about Watch.

"Now," said he to himself, "I'll just see if I cannot get into the house
without your knowing it, Master Watch; and, if I cannot, you are smarter
than I think."

So George took off his shoes, and went stealing along on the soft grass,
looking like a little thief, until he came to the broad gravel-walk,
which he must cross to get round to the back of the house.

He stopped for a minute, while he looked about for Watch, and soon spied
him lying at the front-door, with his black nose resting upon his great
white paws; and he seemed to be fast asleep.

Then George very cautiously stepped upon the gravel-walk, first with one
foot, and then with the other. A