o know how it
was done.

Noddy was neither a logician nor a philosopher; and therefore he was
utterly unable to account for the origin of the fire. In vain he wasted
his intellectual powers in speculations; in vain he tried to remember
some exciting cause to which the calamity could be traced. Meanwhile,
Miss Fanny was deliberating quite as diligently over another question;
for she apparently regarded the destruction of the boat-house as a small
affair, and did not concern herself to know how it had been caused. But
she was very anxious to reach Whitestone before ten o'clock, and her
rebellious boatman had intimated his intention not to carry out his part
of the agreement.

"What are you thinking about, Noddy?" asked she, when both had
maintained silence for the full space of three minutes, which was a
longer period than either of them had ever before kept still while
awake.

"I was thinking of that fire," replied Noddy, removing his gaze from the
burning building, and fixing it upon her.

"Are you going to Whitestone, or not?" continued she, impatiently.

"No; I don't want to go to Whitestone, while all of them down there are
talking about me, and saying I set the boat-house afire."

"They will believe you did it, too."

"But I didn't, Miss Fanny. You know I didn't."

"How should I know it?"

"Because I was with you; besides, you came out of the boat-house after I
did."

"If you will row me over to Whitestone, I will say so; and I will tell
them I know you didn't do it."

Noddy considered the matter for a moment, and, perhaps concluding that
it was safer for him to keep on the right side of Miss Fanny, he
signified his acceptance of the terms by taking up his oars, and pulling
towards Whitestone. But he was not satisfied; he was as uneasy as a fish
out of water; and nothing but the tyranny of the wayward young lady in
the boat would have induced him to flee from the trouble which was
brewing at Woodville. He had quite lost sight of the purpose which had
induced him to disobey Bertha's orders.

Our young adventurers had not left Woodville without an object. There
was a circus at Whitestone--a travelling company which had advertised to
give three grand performances on that day. Miss Fanny wanted to go; but,
either because her father was otherwise occupied, or because he did not
approve of circuses, he had declined to go with her. Bertha did not
want to go, and also had an engagement.

Fanny had set her