I fished out the coin from a mass of fireworks, and
gave it to the prisoner. He appeared to be so good-natured a fellow that
I ventured to ask what he had done to get into jail.

"Intirely innocent. I was clapped in here by a rascally nevew as wishes
to enjoy my wealth afore I'm dead.'

"Your name, Sir?' I inquired, with a view of reporting the outrage to my
grandfather and having the injured person re instated in society.

"Git out, you insolent young reptyle!" shouted the man, in a passion.

I retreated precipitately, amid a roar of laughter from the other cells.

"Can't you keep still?" exclaimed Harris, withdrawing his head from the
window.

A portly watchman usually sat on a stool outside the door day and night;
but on this particular occasion, his services being required elsewhere,
the bridewell had been left to guard itself.

"All clear," whispered Jack Harris, as he vanished through the
aperture and dropped softly on the ground outside. We all followed him
expeditiously--Pepper Whitcomb and myself getting stuck in the window for
a moment in our frantic efforts not to be last.

"Now, boys, everybody for himself!"

Chapter Eight--The Adventures of a Fourth

The sun cast a broad column of quivering gold across the river at the
foot of our street, just as I reached the doorstep of the Nutter House.
Kitty Collins, with her dress tucked about her so that she looked as if
she had on a pair of calico trousers, was washing off the sidewalk.

"Arrah you bad boy!" cried Kitty, leaning on the mop handle. "The Capen
has jist been askin' for you. He's gone up town, now. It's a nate thing
you done with my clothes-line, and, it's me you may thank for gettin' it
out of the way before the Capen come down."

The kind creature had hauled in the rope, and my escapade had not been
discovered by the family; but I knew very well that the burning of the
stage-coach, and the arrest of the boys concerned in the mischief, were
sure to reach my grandfathers ears sooner or later.

"Well, Thomas," said the old gentleman, an hour or so afterwards,
beaming upon me benevolently across the breakfast table, "you didn't
wait to be called this morning."

"No, sir," I replied, growing very warm, "I took a little run up town to
see what was going on."

I didn't say anything about the little run I took home again! "They had
quite a time on the Square last night," remarked Captain Nutter, looking
up from the Rivermouth Barnacle,