nce then he had been obliged to attend so many
drillings of the tin soldiers that he had enjoyed but few opportunities
for social recreation. Now, however, he thought he would enter into
conversation with the two fair members of his race beside him, and was
just endeavoring to think of something new to say about the weather,
when a great clattering was heard on the stairs, and the next instant
two boys made their appearance in the garret, both breathing very hard,
and looking as if they had been running races with the sun.

"I beat, anyhow," said one, as he sat down on an old trunk and wiped his
face.

"All right," returned the other; adding, "and now what'll we get to put
in the _Foam_?" and then the two rummaged around the room for a while,
till suddenly one of them pounced upon the table where lay the paper
dolls, and catching all three of them up in his hand, cried out: "Here!
these'll do. Come on, Frank;" and the boys hurried down stairs again
with even more racket than they had made coming up.

As may be imagined, Angelina Mary and Matilda Agnes grew paler than
foolscap with fright when they felt Tom's fingers closing over them so
roughly, and General Adolphus Popgun, although somewhat nervous himself,
felt called upon to postpone his weather remarks, and endeavor, instead,
to calm the fears of his companions.

"Pray don't be alarmed, I beg," he said; "I have no doubt we are being
transported to a grand review of the Tin Regiment. It will be a very
fine sight, and I shall try to provide seats for you in the grand
stand."

The boys, however, did not stop at the garden play-house, where the tin
soldiers were encamped, but kept straight onto the gate, passed through
the latter, and then walked briskly off down the road. The General
ventured to peep out between the fingers that inclosed him, and to his
horror saw that Frank held in his hand a little boat six inches long,
roughly whittled out of a common stick of wood.

And soon his dread anticipations were realized, for striking into a path
that ran through a corn field, the boys made straight for the brook,
where Frank proceeded to cut a long switch from a willow-tree, while Tom
took out three pins from his coat, and deliberately impaled the two
paper ladies to the stern, and General Popgun to the bow of the boat.

Fortunately the pin in each case pierced only some portion of the dress
of the terror-stricken creature, otherwise the consequences might have
bee