"Frank's run off with No. 11, and he'll be killed sure. Thought I'd come
up and tell you," stammered Joe, all out of breath and looking wild.

He got no further, for Mrs. Pecq clapped one hand over his mouth, caught
him by the collar with the other, and hustled him into the ante-room
before any one else could hear the bad news.

"Tell me all about it, and don't shout. What's come to the boy?" she
demanded, in a tone that reduced Joe to a whisper at once.

"Go right back and see what has happened to him, then come and tell me
quietly. I'll wait for you here. I wouldn't have his mother startled for
the world," said the good soul, when she knew all.

"Oh, I dar'sn't! I opened the switch as they told me to, and Bill will
half kill me when he knows it!" cried Joe, in a panic, as the awful
consequences of his deed rose before him, showing both boys mortally
injured and several trains wrecked.

"Then take yourself off home and hold your tongue. I'll watch the door,
for I won't have any more ridiculous boys tearing in to disturb my
lady."

Mrs. Pecq often called this good neighbor "my lady" when speaking of
her, for Mrs. Minot was a true gentlewoman, and much pleasanter to live
with than the titled mistress had been.

Joe scudded away as if the constable was after him, and presently Frank
was seen slowly approaching with an unusually sober face and a pair of
very dirty hands.

"Thank heaven, he's safe!" and, softly opening the door, Mrs. Pecq
actually hustled the young master into the ante-room as unceremoniously
as she had hustled Joe.

"I beg pardon, but the parlor is full of company, and that fool of a Joe
came roaring in with a cock-and-bull story that gave me quite a turn.
What is it, Mr. Frank?" she asked eagerly, seeing that something was
amiss.

He told her in a few words, and she was much relieved to find that no
harm had been done.

"Ah, the danger is to come," said Frank, darkly, as he went away to wash
his hands and prepare to relate his misdeeds.

It was a very bad quarter of an hour for the poor fellow, who so seldom
had any grave faults to confess; but he did it manfully, and his mother
was so grateful for the safety of her boy that she found it difficult to
be severe enough, and contented herself with forbidding any more visits
to the too charming No. 11.

"What do you suppose will be done to me?" asked Frank, on whom the idea
of imprisonment had made a deep impression.

"I don't know, dear, bu