h! that accounts," he said; "you were all out last night, and the
burglars took occasion to make a raid on your house. I caught a lively
young man in the very act; box of tools in his hand! If I had been a
minute late he would have made his way in"--The family then tried to
interrupt--to explain--"Where is he?" exclaimed Mr. Peterkin.

"Safe in the lock-up," answered the policeman.

"But he is the locksmith!" interrupted Solomon John.

"We have no key!" said Elizabeth Eliza; "if you have locked up the
locksmith we can never get in."

The policeman looked from one to the other, smiling slightly when he
understood the case.

"The locksmith!" he exclaimed; "he is a new fellow, and I did not
recognize him, and arrested him! Very well, I will go and let him out,
that he may let you in!" and he hurried away, surprising the Peterkin
family with what seemed like insulting screams of laughter.

"It seems to me a more serious case than it appears to him," said Mr.
Peterkin.

Mrs. Peterkin did not understand it at all. Had burglars entered the
house? Did the policeman say they had taken spoons? And why did he
appear so pleased? She was sure the old silver teapot was locked up in
the closet of their room. Slowly the family walked towards the house,
and, almost as soon as they, the policeman appeared with the released
locksmith, and a few boys from the street, who happened to be out early.

The locksmith was not in very good humor, and took ill the jokes of the
policeman. Mr. Peterkin, fearing he might not consent to open the door,
pressed into his hand a large sum of money. The door flew open; the
family could go in.

Amanda arrived at the same moment. There was hope of breakfast. Mrs.
Peterkin staggered towards the stairs. "I shall never go to another
carnival!" she exclaimed.

THE PETERKINS AT THE FARM.

YES, at last they had reached the seaside, after much talking and
deliberation, and summer after summer the journey had been constantly
postponed.

But here they were at last, at the "Old Farm," so called, where seaside
attractions had been praised in all the advertisements. And here they
were to meet the Sylvesters, who knew all about the place, cousins of
Ann Maria Bromwick. Elizabeth Eliza was astonished not to find them
there, though she had not expected Ann Maria to join them till the very
next day.

Their preparations had been so elaborate that at one time the whole
thing had seemed hopeless; yet here