Lom thinks he hears Robbers. 229

 

“T thought I heard robbers,” answered
Tom, dropping his stick at once. “And
Doggie didn’t bark, as he ought to have done.
Isn’t it the middle of the night >?”

“The middle of the night!” exclaimed
Jane, laughing. “Why, it’s five o’clock in the
morning. And it’s the sweeps you’ve been
hearing—no robbers. Go back to bed, Master
Tom, as fast as you can You'll catch your
death of cold.”

“Only the sweeps!” exclaimed Tom. He
was very sorry they were not robbers. “But
I heard a scraping noise—what was that ?”

“The chimnies being swept,” said Jane,
laughing still more. ‘“ Why, what have you
been dreaming about? Go back to bed this
instant, Master Tom, or you'll be catching
your death of cold, and what will your mamma
say in the morning ?”

Tom turned and went upstairs. It was very
sad—only the sweeps !—when he had got up
on purpose with his stick to frighten the
robbers away !

He went back to bed, even though it was