went
up himself; while Fred waited underneath the trap-door. But Master
Philip had no better success than his brother, and they came to the
conclusion that the stilts they were in search of were gone; so they
turned to descend, when Harry caught sight of the position Fred
occupied, and pointed it out to Philip; and then, making signs, and
catching up an armful of hay, Philip doing the same, the result was that
poor Fred was nearly smothered beneath the fragrant shower that came
down upon his head.

"Oh! I'll pay you for this, Master Harry," aid Fred, freeing himself
from his load, and rightly judging who was the author of the mischief.
"Mind that's a debt of honour, so look out."

Harry grinned defiance, and then hunted well through both stable and
coach-house for the missing stilts, but without success.

"Why, I know where they are," said Philip all at once.

"No, you don't, old clever-shakes," said his brother.

"Well, you see if I don't tell," said Philip. "I know old Sam has
hidden them because we walked all down the gravel-walk last month,
before Fred came; and don't you remember it was wet, and we pretended
that it was a flood, and that we were obliged to use the stilts to keep
out of the water; and then Sam went and told Papa that we had made the
path all full of holes with the stilts?"

"Oh! ah! I recollect," said Harry; "and I remember your going down in
the puddle. But do you think Sam took them?"

"I feel sure he did," said Philip.

"Won't we serve him out then," said Harry. "Come on. Let's pretend
that we know he's got them, and ask for them at once."

Now, old Sam had been all this time very methodically shaving away at
his grass, and congratulating himself upon the boys keeping out of the
garden; but, to his horror and disgust, he at length saw them all come
bearing down upon him full rush, evidently bent upon some errand that he
would consider unpleasant.

"Ha!" said Sam, stopping to wipe his scythe, and drawing his rubber out
of the sheath on his back. "Ha! I know what you all wants. You wants
to know how the wopses' nest is a gettin' on."

"No, we don't," said chief spokesman Harry; "but we'll go presently and
see, though. We want our stilts, that you've got somewhere."

"Laws, Master Henry," said the old man, pretending to be innocent,
"whatever made you think of that?"

"Come now," said Harry, "give 'em up directly, or we'll run away with
your tools. Give us the stilts."