recital of the events of the
night. The mysterious boat he had twice seen was the only explanation
of the minuteness of Mr. Presby's details that suggested itself to his
mind.

"You talked quite rationally in your sleep, which is a new development
in somnambulism. But, after all," continued the devotee of science,
"the phenomena of last night were not near so remarkable as those of
the former occasion. By the way, my dear boy, do sleep-walkers have any
particular fondness for watermelons?"

Uncle Obed laughed outright at this sally, and even Mr. Grant, wounded
as his paternal heart was by the discovery, could not help smiling,
though he felt more like weeping than laughing.

"You are silent, my dear boy," resumed Mr. Presby. "This is an
important physiological inquiry, and you would enlarge the sphere of
human knowledge of this interesting subject, if you would answer me."

Richard was inclined to get into a passion, but the consciousness of
his guilt restrained him, and he listened in silence to the satirical
remarks of the old gentleman.

"But the most astounding fact of all is, that you could take such an
unmerciful flogging as Mr. Batterman gave you without waking up,"
continued the inquisitor. "Perhaps you did wake under this cruel
infliction, but went to sleep again when the castigation was over. Can
you inform me on this point?"

"You have made fun enough of me," replied Richard; but his words were
very tame, considering the amount of provocation he had endured.

"Were you asleep, Richard, on these two nights when you have been
prowling about the neighborhood?" demanded his father, sternly.

"No, sir, I was not," said Richard, to whom the ridicule of Mr. Presby
and uncle Obed was more terrible than any punishment he could receive
for his misdeeds.

"I am glad to see you have some honesty left in your composition. You
acknowledge the deception, and we will let the farce end here. You have
become a thief and a midnight incendiary. I have been weak and
indulgent towards you. My eyes are opened, and I shall pursue a
different course."

Mr. Grant's lip trembled with emotion as he spoke. Mr. Presby and uncle
Obed suddenly became very serious, and it was plain to the culprit that
the farce had really ended.

"Richard, I knew you were wild, and even dissolute, but I did not think
you would steal," added Mr. Grant, with deep feeling.

"It was only for fun, father," pleaded Richard.

"Do you practise the t