great joy,
however, he found that the stone, now wholly covered with water, was
once more light enough to lift, and he trundled it along the ledge till
the water became too shallow to move it further. Just above this point
was another ledge, high and dry above tide-mark, and the yard of rope
was just long enough to allow the monkey to take up his position there,
and shake himself dry in the sun.

Now, this shaking process suggested an idea to Tricky--a very obvious
one to you or me, but a real inspiration to a monkey. Tricky noticed
that the very part of the rope where he had been gnawing rested against
the sharp edge of the rocky ledge, and that one frayed strand had
suddenly parted while he was shaking himself. The rock-edge, in fact,
was a regular knife, and after much and hard rubbing, and many rests,
Tricky found himself within three or four strands of freedom. It was all
but midnight when the last strand parted, and in a few minutes more the
gallant monkey crawled up the cliff and stood once more at the door of
his executioner's house.

I am afraid you will be as much surprised as Tricky was at the startling
discovery he made when he got there. The cottage was on fire! For days,
you will remember, there had been no food in the shepherd's home. But
that day the family had celebrated the mending of the pump by a great
banquet and a washing. Such a fire was lit as had not blazed on the
hearth for years, and when it grew dark the red sparks flew into the air
and fell in dangerous showers upon the dry thatched roof. The wind, too,
rose about nightfall, and fanned one smouldering square of turf into
life; and when Tricky reached the spot at least half the roof was
already in a blaze. But Tricky was hungry after his day's adventures,
and the chimney end of the roof being still untouched by the fire, he
jumped on to the roof and down into the kitchen with a bound. The baby's
cradle lay, as usual, close to the side of the fire, and the monkey, in
passing, must have swished it with his tail, for the infant broke into a
sudden yell, which rang through the room, and woke the shepherd with a
start. The good man was awake not a moment too soon. Had the monkey
arrived five minutes later the whole family must have perished; the
smoke had already filled the other room, and was pouring in, in rolling
clouds, below the kitchen door. With one thunderstruck glare at the
night-watchman who had wakened him so opportunely--and who now o