d pencil-case because he was first to go down
into the tower. Oswald does not grudge Denny this, though some might
think he deserved at least a silver one.

But Oswald is above such paltry jealousies.

THE WATER-WORKS

This is the story of one of the most far-reaching and influentially
naughty things we ever did in our lives. We did not mean to do such a
deed. And yet we did do it. These things will happen with the
best-regulated consciences.

The story of this rash and fatal act is intimately involved--which means
all mixed up anyhow--with a private affair of Oswald's, and the one
cannot be revealed without the other. Oswald does not particularly want
his story to be remembered, but he wishes to tell the truth, and perhaps
it is what father calls a wholesome discipline to lay bare the awful
facts.

It was like this.

On Alice's and Noel's birthday we went on the river for a picnic. Before
that we had not known that there was a river so near us. Afterwards
father said he wished we had been allowed to remain in our pristine
ignorance, whatever that is. And perhaps the dark hour did dawn when we
wished so too. But a truce to vain regrets.

It was rather a fine thing in birthdays. The uncle sent a box of toys
and sweets, things that were like a vision from another and a brighter
world. Besides that Alice had a knife, a pair of shut-up scissors, a
silk handkerchief, a book--it was _The Golden Age_ and is A1 except
where it gets mixed with grown-up nonsense. Also a work-case lined with
pink plush, a boot-bag, which no one in their senses would use because
it had flowers in wool all over it. And she had a box of chocolates and
a musical box that played "The Man Who Broke" and two other
tunes, and two pairs of kid gloves for church, and a box of
writing-paper--pink--with "Alice" on it in gold writing, and an egg
colored red that said "A. Bastable" in ink on one side. These gifts were
the offerings of Oswald, Dora, Dicky, Albert's uncle, Daisy, Mr. Foulkes
(our own robber), Noel, H. O., father, and Denny. Mrs. Pettigrew gave
the egg. It was a kindly housekeeper's friendly token.

I shall not tell you about the picnic on the river, because the happiest
times form but dull reading when they are written down. I will merely
state that it was prime. Though happy, the day was uneventful. The only
thing exciting enough to write about was in one of the locks, where
there was a snake--a viper. It was asleep in a warm c