he sloops, my father and I, watching a good opportunity, dug up our
weights out of the sand, and put them back safely in their places in
the clock-box."

"Is that the end?" asked Phonny, when Beechnut paused.

"Yes," replied Beechnut, "I believe I had better make that the end."

"I think it is a very interesting and well-told story," said Madeline.
"And do you feel very tired?"

"No," said Beechnut. "On the contrary, I feel all the better for my
ride. I believe I will sit up a little while."

So saying, he raised himself in the wagon and sat up, and began to
look about him.

"What a wonderful voyage you had, Beechnut!" said Phonny. "But I never
knew before that you were shipwrecked."

"Well, in point of fact," replied Beechnut, "I never was
shipwrecked."

"Never was!" exclaimed Phonny. "Why, what is all this story that you
have been telling us, then?"

"Embellishment," said Beechnut quietly.

"Embellishment!" repeated Phonny, more and more amazed.

"Yes," said Beechnut.

"Then you were not wrecked at all?" said Phonny.

"No," replied Beechnut.

"And how did you get to the land?" asked Phonny.

"Why, we sailed quietly up the St. Lawrence," replied Beechnut, "and
landed safely at Quebec, as other vessels do."

"And the clock-weights?" asked Phonny.

"All embellishment," said Beechnut. "My father had no such clock, in
point of fact. He put his money in a bag, his bag in his chest, and
his chest in the hold, and it came as safe as the captain's sextant."

"And the iceberg and the rainbow?" said Madeline.

"Embellishment, all embellishment," said Beechnut.

"Dear me!" said Phonny, "I thought it was all true."

"Did you?" said Beechnut. "I am sorry that you were so deceived, and I
am sure it was not my fault, for I gave you your choice of a true
story or an invention, and you chose the invention."

"Yes," said Phonny, "so we did."

THE OYSTER PATTIES

There was once a little boy who perhaps might have been a good little
fellow if his friends had taken pains to make him so; but--I do not
know how it was--instead of teaching him to be good, they gave him
everything he cried for; so, whenever he wished to have anything, he
had only to cry, and if he did not get it directly, he cried louder
and louder till at last he got it. By this means Alfred was not only
very naughty, but very unhappy. He was crying from morning till night.
He had no pleasure in anything; he was in everybody's way, and n