y to make it for their interest to do what you want,
rather than to quarrel with them about it."

For the rest of the way, Phonny rode on without meeting with any
difficulty, and arrived at home, with his squirrel all safe, just at
the time when Beechnut and Stuyvesant were talking about the poultry.

CHAPTER V.

PLANS FOR THE SQUIRREL.

As soon as Phonny had told Stuyvesant about his squirrel and had
lifted up the lid of the trap a little, so as to allow him to peep in
and see, he said that he was going in to show the squirrel to the
people in the house, and especially to Malleville. He accordingly
hurried away with the box under his arm. Stuyvesant went back toward
the barn.

Phonny hastened along to the house. From the yard he went into a shed
through a great door. He walked along the platform in the shed, and at
the end of the platform he went up three steps, to a door leading into
the back kitchen. He passed through this back kitchen into the front
kitchen, hurrying forward as he went, and leaving all the doors open.

Dorothy was at work at a table ironing.

"Dorothy," said Phonny, "I've got a squirrel--a beautiful squirrel. If
I had time I would stop and show him to you."

"I wish you had time to shut the doors," said Dorothy.

"In a minute," said Phonny, "I am coming back in a minute, and then I
will."

So saying Phonny went into a sort of hall or entry which passed
through the house, and which had doors in it leading to the principal
rooms. There was a staircase here. Phonny supposed that Malleville was
up in his mother's chamber. So he stood at the foot of the stairs and
began to call her with a loud voice.

"Malleville!" said he, "Malleville! Where are you? Come and see my
squirrel."

Presently a door opened above, and Phonny heard some one stepping out.

"Malleville," said Phonny, "is that you?"

"No," said a voice above, "it is Wallace. I have come to give you your
first warning."

"Why, I only wanted to show my squirrel to Malleville," said Phonny.

"You are making a great disturbance," said Wallace, "and besides,
though I don't _know_ any thing about it, I presume that you came in a
noisy manner through the kitchen and left all the doors open there."

"Well," said Phonny, "I will be still."

So Phonny turned round and went away on tiptoe. When he got into the
kitchen, he first shut the doors, and then carried the trap to
Dorothy, and let her peep through the hole which the sq