ow naughty she
had been, until her mother told her what a terribly anxious night she
and her father had had, and that they had not been to bed at all. That
made Rosa more sorry than her own unpleasant experiences had done; and
one result of her adventure was that she gave up thinking what a fine
thing it was to have a 'will of her own.'

[Illustration: "She was floating away in the midst of the stream."]

[Illustration: "The carpenter took off his coat."]

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

True Tales of the Year 1806.

IX.--A TALE OF A TUB.

[Illustration]

It was a fine June afternoon in the year 1806, and two boys, aged twelve
and thirteen, were strolling idly along the muddy shore of the Thames by
Millbank. There was no Embankment there then, nor indeed for many years
later, and so many strange things, thrown out from incoming ships, were
cast up by the tide on this side of the river, that it was the favourite
resort of the boys of the neighbourhood, especially as there was a
rumour that pearls had been found in several places on the muddy
foreshore.

This, however, must certainly have been romance on the boys' part,
though it was firmly believed in by most of the younger lads--our two
friends, Tom and Roger, being among the number--and they were to-day
walking with their eyes fixed on the mud, in hopes of finding treasure,
till Roger raising his head, exclaimed hastily--

'I say, Tom, look there!'

'Where?' inquired Tom, gazing across the river.

'No, not there!' said Roger, pulling his brother's sleeve to make him
turn round. 'Over there!' and he pointed down the river where a little
crowd was assembled by the side of the water.

'Let's go and have a look!' declared Tom. Away scudded Tom and Roger,
eager to miss nothing of what might be happening. The sight that had
drawn the crowd together was a fool-hardy young carpenter, who, for a
wager, had undertaken to row himself in a washing-tub from Millbank to
London Bridge.

'Will he do it, Tom?' asked Roger anxiously, as he looked at the sturdy
young carpenter, who was just about to step into the big tub which a
friend was holding steady for him.

'He may,' cautiously answered Tom. 'The river is smooth enough to-day,
but I should not care to be in his boat when he gets in the whirl of the
bridges; that tub will spin round like a tee-to-tum.'

The carpenter now took off his coat, and throwing it to his friend said
jokingly, 'It's yours, if I don't come b