e thoughtless boys, as they sat grouped together in careless
but not ungraceful attitudes; the crimson, purple, and golden clouds
above, altogether, made a very charming picture, and, so far, gipsy life
certainly seemed _coleur de rose_.

But the shadows gradually lengthened; the glowing colors became fainter;
and the gray twilight came stealing on. Occasionally a dissipated little
bird would give a faint twitter, as he was hurrying home in the
deepening gloom, from a late dinner party. Insensibly the boys relapsed
into silence, and, wearied with their long tramp, began to think of
going to bed; but here commenced new troubles.

"The beds! and the tents! Even the real gipsies did not sleep upon the
bare ground--what was to be done?"

"Here's a pretty how-de-do!" cried Arthur; "this is worse than the fish
and the fire; matches may be sometimes dropped in the woods, but
mattresses never," and here poor Charlie came in for a scolding chorus
from every body.

"Let's get some big branches, and lean them against a tree," said little
George.

"Where's the axe to cut them with," said Richard.

"Dig a cave," cried Harry.

"What with--our nails? I have a jackknife," said Richard, "I'll lend
it to you; suppose _you_ begin."

Charlie's face looked about as blank as this O, while the boys were
talking. He was completely nonplussed, and too proud to acknowledge it.
And now, for the first time, his father's warning voice rose in his
memory, and in the midst of his vexation, another voice, "the still
small voice" of conscience, reproached him for having acted with silly
impetuosity; and this time he had brought his friends, as well as
himself, into discomfort and trouble. A bitter repentant tear came into
his eye, but he hastily dashed it away, with the cuff of his sleeve. By
this time all was dark; there was no moon that night, and the stars,
blinking and twinkling in their far-off homes, gave scarcely a glimmer
of light in the dense forest. The burning twigs alone revealed to
Charlie the wearied, vexed faces of his companions. Throwing his hair
back from his forehead, by the quick, characteristic movement I have
mentioned, he said cheerfully:

"I tell you what, fellows, we are here, and we must stay here to-night,
at least. We can't burrow like rabbits, and we don't understand roosting
on one foot like birds; suppose we all lie down in a heap, one top of
the other, and, when the bottom one of all is warm enough, take him o