fa," said John
Stebbins; "and we've got a surprise for you. There's a pie,--let's eat
that."

They stumbled their way back. The provident John Stebbins had laid in
more candles, and they found an old table and had a merry feast.

Sam and Jonas had their books. When Sam had hold of a fresh Latin book
he could not keep away from it. Jonas's mind was busy with a new
invention. The boys thought he would make his fortune by it. He was
determined to invent some use for coal ashes. They were the only things
that were not put to some use by his mother in their establishment. He
thought he should render a service to mankind if he could do something
useful with coal ashes. So he had studied all the chemistry books, and
had one or two in his pockets now, and drew out a paper with H O, and
other strange letters and figures on it. The other boys after supper
busied themselves with arranging the room for a night's sleep.

"It's awful jolly," said Dick. "This bed will hold four of us. I'll
sleep across the foot, and Sam shall have the sofa."

But Sam rose up from his study. "I've no notion of spending the night
here. The door must be open by this time."

He went to the window that looked out on the veranda. There was a heavy
rain-storm; it was pouring hard. It was hard work getting down to the
door in the dark. The candle kept going out; and they found the door
still locked when they reached it.

"Why not spend the night?" said Jonas. "They'll have got over their
worries at home by this time."

"Nobody could come up here to see after us in this rain," said Sam.
"I suppose they think that as we have made our bed we may as well sleep
in it."

Sleep they did until a late hour in the morning. All the windows but the
one upon the veranda closed with shutters. They woke up to find snow and
rain together. They went all over the house to find some way of getting
out, but doors and windows were well closed.

"It's no use, boys," said Sam. "We've tried it often enough from outside
to get in, and now it is as hard to get out. I was always disgusted that
the windows were so high from the ground. Anyhow, father or some of the
folks will be after us sometime. What was it you told mother?" Sam
asked.

John Stebbins had to confess that he had not seen Mrs. Wilson, and
indeed had been vague with the information he had left with Jane. "I
told them we were with the Pentz boys," he said; "I thought it just as
well to keep dark."

"Mighty d