answer. "I didn't know that Lulu would disturb them."

"That's it, Dad. I'm sure Randy didn't want 'em disturbed."

"And what did you have to do with this, Andy?" demanded the father.

At this the boy addressed had nothing to say.

"He had nothing to do with it, Dad," answered Randy. "I got the mice
and put 'em in the two boxes. I s'pose it wasn't just the right thing
to put 'em in the pantry, but I give you my word I didn't think they'd
be upset the way they were and be sent running all over the house. If
Lulu hadn't touched the boxes, the mice would be there yet."

"Perhaps," answered Tom Rover, dryly. "Just the same, I think you
placed the boxes there hoping that Lulu or the cook would have
curiosity enough to see what they contained. As it is, your actions
have upset the whole house, brought on the destruction of the
fish-globe, and the cook is so upset that she has threatened to leave."

"Oh, she won't leave, Dad. She likes her big wages too well," remarked
Andy, quickly.

"I don't know about that, Son. Nobody is going to stand for your tricks
much longer. They are getting altogether too numerous." Tom continued
to look as stern as possible. "I've got to take both of you in hand,
and that is all there is to it. You are growing wilder every day.
Something has got to be done. Now you go right upstairs and finish
dressing, and don't dare to let me hear of any more tricks being played
for the rest of this day, otherwise I'll not only give you a sound
thrashing, but I'll cut off your spending money and do several other
things that you won't like;" and, thus speaking, the father of the
twins opened the door to the hall and shoved them both out towards the
stairs with more force than they had felt for some time. The two lads
lost no time in retiring to their bedroom.

"Say, Randy, I think you got off rather easily," remarked Andy, when
they were alone.

"I think so myself," was the quick response. "I thought Dad would be so
mad that he would give me one everlasting licking."

"Say! how did you make out?" questioned Fred, eagerly, as he came
sneaking in, followed by Jack.

"You don't look as if you had suffered very much," was Jack's comment.
"I thought you'd come out looking as if you'd been through a threshing
machine."

What Randy and Andy had to tell was quickly related. At the conclusion,
Jack, who being somewhat older than any of the others, was looked upon
as something of a leader, shook his head thou