hough I wasn't exactly
alone that time I'm telling you about, either; I had my little brother,
Karl, with me. But as he was only a little bit of a fellow, he wasn't
any help.

It was one Saturday afternoon. Every Saturday at five o'clock the
church bells are rung to ring the Sabbath in. Karl and I were just
passing the church when Peter came slinking along with his trousers
turned up as usual. It was an afternoon towards autumn, not dark
yet--far from it--but not so very light either. And how the wind blew
that day! almost a gale. The big maple-trees creaked and groaned. All at
once I had an overwhelming desire to run up into the tower and hear how
the bells sounded when the wind blustered and howled so around the
church.

"You go home now, Karl," said I, "run as fast as you can. Just let me
see how fast you can run." Oh no! indeed, he wouldn't. He just clung
fast to me and wanted to go with me. Oh well--pooh!--I could just as
well take him along. It would be fun for him, too, to hear the bells.

When I thought Peter was well up the first flight of stairs I pushed
open the heavy church door with its lead weight, and Karl and I squeezed
into the church. He was heavy to drag up the stairs and I hauled and
dragged as hard as I could, and he never whimpered once,--just thought
it was great fun.

Peter had already begun to ring. The gale raged up here as if we were
out on a wild sea, and sent mournful wails through all the cracks and
openings. The church tower itself seemed to sway!

I had got Karl up the last flight of stairs. Back of the great
cross-beam we were splendidly hidden. I peeped out once or twice. Peter
stood with his eyes shut and pulled and pulled on the great rope. The
big bells swung back and forth over our heads.

Oh! how the bells clanged and how the wind howled and roared! I had to
force myself to stand still and not jump over to the window to look down
upon the trees as they swayed and bowed in the strong blast. But I must
not do it, of course, for then Peter would see me and I should only get
another long scolding preachment. Besides, I had all I could do to keep
fast hold of Karl. He was determined to go out from behind the beam,
and every time the bells rang louder than usual he screamed with
delight. He was welcome to scream as loud as he liked, Peter could hear
nothing of it anyway.

But all of a sudden, and very much sooner than I had expected, Peter
stopped ringing. One, two, three--he sl