capes from being captured
himself.

Finally, after one prolonged scrape accompanied by several grunts, the
sturdy figure of Richard towered an instant on the roof of the main
house six feet above, then with a whoop of triumph, cautiously dropped
down among them amid the shrieks of the defenders.

Acre had fallen.

The vanquished garrison pressed round him, not to demand mercy, but to
ask questions.

"How'd you get up there?" Chicken Little demanded.

"Bet Alice put you up to that," this from Carol.

"Should think you'd been scared to death!" whispered Gertie, still
breathless with surprise.

"Pshaw, 'twas easy--just shinned up that wistaria vine on the gable,
it's awful old and strong. I've climbed heaps of times before, but I
wouldn't of thought of it, if Alice hadn't told me."

"My, wisht I could climb it!" said Katy fairly awestruck with admiration
at such daring.

"Oh, you couldn't--you're just a girl, but I'll show you where I got
up," said Ernest condescendingly. "Say, where's all the apples and
cookies?"

The hint was sufficient and both besieged and besiegers, perched in
various attitudes along the low roof like a flock of variegated
chickens, were soon merrily celebrating the downfall of Acre.

It was thus that Mrs. Morton found them, coming around the house a few
moments later in search of her offspring.

"Children! What are you doing?" she gasped in horrified tones. "Jane
Morton, I thought I told you to play quietly. The idea of little girls
climbing up on a roof. Put on your shoes this instant--all of you--and
come down! Ernest, didn't you know better than to let your little sister
go into such a dangerous place?"

Neither the valorous sultan, nor the doughty Crusaders were proof
against this onslaught, and the visitors speedily retreated homewards
while their crestfallen host and hostess went to bed to think over their
sins. Chicken Little indeed started to say something about Alice having
let them, but stopped suddenly, warned by a dig in the ribs from
Ernest's elbow.

While the more favored members of the family were at supper that night,
and Ernest was tossing restlessly and wondering if they were having
apple dumplings, a small, warm hand reached up beside the bed and
touched him.

"Hush, here's your book, Ern, and here's two slices of bread and jam,
and some cheese and apple pie."

"Where in the Dickens did you----"

"Somebody poked a plate with it on inside my door a minute ago