ing we are always
watching and waiting for Lewis, and when he comes we can't have any
fun, because if we make a noise somebody may catch us. It seems rather
a sneaking business altogether."

Betty was quite of this opinion. If she had not been drawn on by her
elder sister's enthusiasm in the first instance, she would never have
done anything so boldly naughty as to make friends with a strange boy.
The constant fear of discovery had weighed heavily upon her, and on
more than one occasion lately she had trembled all over if anyone had
called her suddenly, thinking that the whole affair was discovered and
she was about to be blamed. "Yes, do let us play somewhere else. And
then perhaps Lewis will get tired of coming to look for us," she said
fervently.

"At first I was sorry for him," continued Madge, "and I should be now,
only he is so mean. Of course I shall never betray him to anybody, and
get him punished for climbing over the wall. But I won't speak to him
after he has proved a sneak!"

In the end Madge and Betty went off together to play elsewhere, while
John remained behind in the Eagle's Nest, saying that he should wait
there for his friend. But it was not very cheerful work sitting alone
on a bough in sight of that terrible red brick house, after the girls
had disappeared. He would gladly have climbed down and ran after them,
if he had not boasted so loudly of his preference for Lewis's society.
And when Lewis at last came he was not a very cheery companion. John
tried to feel flattered at being left alone with such a big boy, and to
get all the comfort he could out of his companion's abuse of girls in
general, and Madge in particular. But when Lewis began to tell long
dreary stories about the cruel doings that went on under Mrs. Howard's
roof, the small listener soon realized that the presence of a strong
and courageous elder sister would be very comforting indeed. He tried
to keep up his spirits by reflecting that there was no fear of his
being entrapped from the Beechgrove side of the wall.

"Ah! Don't you make too sure of that," said Lewis. "The last boy Mrs.
Howard stole was bigger than you, I think."

"Does she steal children, then?" cried John in terrified accents. "I
didn't know anybody could do that nowadays! Why don't the police stop
her?"

"That's just the question! My belief is that she's more artful than a
whole army of police," answered Lewis. "I don't know how it's done of
c