74. CAROLINE.

Beechnnt astonished to see Mrs Henry’s house standing.

 

to shine through. So the farmer harnessed up the horse
and carried Beechnut home.

When they drove up to Mrs. Henry’s house, , Beech-
nut found, to his utter amazement, instead of the melan-
choly heap of smoking ruins which he had expected to
see, that the house and all the buildings around it were
standing safe and sound, just as he had left them a
week before. He could scarcely believe his eyes. He
could not think it possible that Phonny would have
written him such a letter to deceive him, and yet there
the buildings stood in all their integrity, with the moon
shining upon them as calmly and peacefully as ever.

There were no lights visible in the house, for it was
very late, and the family had all retired. In fact, it was
past midnight. Beechnut paid and dismissed the farmer,
and began to consider how he could get in without dis-
turbing the family.

He went into the barn and got a ladder. He carried
this ladder round to the back side of the house, and set it
up there against a shed. He mounted to the top of the
shed, and walked along upon the roof until he came to
a window which opened into his own room. He opened
the window as noiselessly as possible, and crept in. He
struck a light, made a fire, warmed and dried himself,
and then went to bed. By half-past one o’clock he was
sound asleep.

The next morning, when Phonny came to know that
his letter had actually been sent, and learned how much
trouble it had occasioned, he was very much concerned.

“J did not think there was any harm,” said he, “in
making up an imaginary story of a house taking fire.”

“There was nothing wrong in doing it,” said Beechnut,