rryman's pond,
which was overhung by a willow-tree, whose branches were thick enough to
afford a tempting seat: it was a lonely place, and a favourite resort of
Bob's, as Willie well knew; and here he hoped to find him. Was he there?
Yes--no--yes! and Willie almost shouted with delight, but restrained
himself, and advanced cautiously to the foot of the tree. 'Bob,' he said
softly, 'Bob, I want to speak to you, please.'

Bob gave a violent start, and looked down rather savagely at the
adventurous child who had discovered his hiding-place. 'What d'ye come
prying here for?' he asked rudely.

'I came to ask you to give back Mrs. Western's thermometer,' said
Willie; 'and my brother Johnnie says he's _quite_ sure you didn't mean
to steal it.'

'No more I did; what's the worth of it to me? I'd only taken it down
just to look at it, like, when out came those maids a-storming and
a-scolding, and vowed they'd fetch the justice; so I made off, and took
the 'mometer with me, for I hadn't had half a look at it.'

'Oh, but you've done with it now, so do take it back,' pleaded Willie
urgently.

'Don't you wish you may get it? You'd like to see me make such a fool of
myself, wouldn't you?'

'Well, then, let me take it, and I'll tell Mrs. Western how it was, and
ask her not to be angry with you. If you give it me, I'll give you the
shilling that you were to have had when you fetched all the gravel: of
course you can't fetch any more of it for us now, but we would rather
you had the shilling. I'm so glad you didn't mean to steal.'

Bob calmly surveyed the flushed, eager face that was turned up to his.
'It's you that's to be the parson, ain't it?' he said mockingly.

Willie made no reply, but folded his arms and leant back against the
tree, looking such a perfect little gentleman, that some dim perception
of his own impertinence flashed upon Bob's eccentric mind.

'It worn't all on my account you comed along here, was it?' he inquired.

'No; partly on Mrs. Western's, and partly on my brother Johnnie's. Papa
is displeased with him for having sent you for the gravel; and, Bob, you
know Johnnie _trusted_ you.'

Bob grinned, and Willie felt that the appeal to his sense of honour had
failed; but, though very impertinent and mischievous, he was not a
thoroughly bad boy, and now swung himself down from the tree, bringing
the thermometer with him.

'If I give it to you, you must promise not to tell where you found me,'
he said; 'I