im and shaking their head-feathers at a boy stupidly sitting
near a table on which was a lighted lamp? Charlie rubbed his eyes for a
better look, then rubbed again and again, and--and--were those Indians
shouting, "Charlie, how are you?" He now sprang to his feet, fully awake,
and there were several members of the club, their faces streaked with red
chalk, their caps ornamented with all kinds of feathers, their--Charlie
did not take another look at their decorations! He only glanced at the
clock, exclaimed, "Five o'clock! Whew!" seized his cap, and rushed
out-doors.

"Wake up, Charlie! Wake up, Charlie!" was the greeting of his comrades.

"Whew, fellers, aint this cheeky?" inquired Charlie.

"I should think it was--in you. Did your nap refresh you?" asked Sid.

"Why didn't you come round and wake me up?" said the governor.

"And me?" said Billy.

"And me?" said Pip.

"And me?" said Tony.

"You see--you see," replied Charlie, "I overslept."

"That is," said Sid, "you slept _over_ the table. Three cheers for
Charlie, our faithful watchman! I nominate Charlie for _honorary_
sentinel."

The cheers were delivered, and Charlie was declared by the president to
have been unanimously chosen honorary sentinel.

"You see, boys," said Sid, patronizingly, "I don't know what would have
become of you if it hadn't been for _me_. My big brother Nehemiah was out
banging away all night, and he got tired and came home about three, and
said to me, 'You in bed now? I thought you were going to get up several
hours earlier than the lark.' Well--after a while--I dressed quick, I tell
you, and then I went and woke our governor, and Billy, and so on."

Sid omitted to say how long that "after a while" might be, and that his
brother aroused him several times, and finally he got into his clothes.
Nobody, however, was disposed to ask questions, as every one had slept
later than he intended.

"Knights of the White Shield!" suddenly shouted Sid, "three good ringers
on your bugles for our honorary member, Miss Stanshy Macomber? Here she
comes!"

Aunt Stanshy was now returning from her visit, having concluded to make an
early start for home, feeling somewhat anxious for its safety on "the
glorious Fourth." The club separated into two ranks, and, as Aunt Stanshy
passed along, each one of the "knights" touched his feathery head-gear,
while every horn sent out as ringing a blast as possible.

"Massy!" cried Aunt Stanshy. "My ears!" Then sh