de, and get over the palings into the fields,
and then, perhaps, we can slip in without being seen."

"Come along then," said Harry, "for I do feel so stupid, and I can't see
a bit."

"Oh! let's make haste," said Fred, "for wet clothes are not at all
comfortable."

It was getting on fast for tea-time, so they hurried along, and having,
by means of jumping a couple of ditches, reached the palings which
skirted Mr Inglis's property, they helped Harry over, and crept along
close to the trees. It had been no joke for Harry to leap the ditches,
for he had to do it standing, but he managed to get pretty well over,
and then blundered along behind his brother and cousin.

"Now, then, keep close, Harry," whispered Philip, when they were in the
garden; "keep close, and we'll soon slip in."

Harry did keep close, and Philip dodged behind all the evergreens and
clumps that he could till they had only one great Portugal laurel to
pass round, and then they could reach the side-door. Half a minute more
would have settled it, when one of the French windows opened, and out
stepped Mr and Mrs Inglis just in front of the trio.

Mrs Inglis's face expressed the horror and compassion that she felt to
see the boys in such a state, and, without stopping to ask questions,
they were hurried in, and nursed and doctored into a state that made
them a little more presentable at the tea-table, round which, when they
were assembled, Mr Inglis listened to the recital of the conflict; and,
much as he was annoyed at the not very creditable affair, still he could
not see how the lads could have acted differently. It was a thing that
he could not praise them for, and he did not wish to blame; so he
contented himself that night with pointing out the folly of playing such
practical jokes as had been schemed by Harry, saying that, however wrong
others might behave, retaliation in any shape ought not to be thought
of.

"But I say, Pa," said Harry, "you would not have had us stand still and
let those fellows knock poor Dick about, would you?"

"Come, boys," said Mr Inglis, "it's quite time you went off to bed,
particularly after such a day as you have had."

The boys said "good night," and went off to their bedrooms, and as soon
as they were out of hearing, Mr Inglis turned to his wife, and said--

"That last question was unanswerable, my dear, for duty said `Yes,'
while my heart said `No.' The young dogs! What a knocking about
they've got; but