e with them. So we agreed
to steal away that night when all were asleep and take the food from its
hiding place.

In the excitement of the day neither of us had eaten much. They thought
we were ill and sent us to bed early. When Hope came into my room above
stairs late in the evening we were both desperately hungry. We looked at
our store of doughnuts and bread and butter under my bed. We counted it
over.

'Won't you try one o' the doughnuts,' I whispered hoping that she would
say yes so that I could try one also; for they did smell mighty good.

''Twouldn't be right,' said she regretfully. 'There ain't any more 'n
he'll want now.

''Twouldn't be right,' I repeated with a sigh as I looked longingly at
one of the big doughnuts. 'Couldn't bear t' do it--could you?'

'Don't seem as if I could,' she whispered, thoughtfully, her chin upon
her hand.

Then she rose and went to the window.

'O my! how dark it is!' she whispered, looking out into the night.

'Purty dark!' I said, 'but you needn't be 'fraid. I'll take care o' you.
If we should meet a bear I'll growl right back at him--that's what Uncle
Eb tol' me t' do. I'm awful stout--most a man now! Can't nuthin' scare
me.'

We could hear them talking below stairs and we went back to bed,
intending to go forth later when the house was still. But' unfortunately
for our adventure I fell asleep.

It was morning when I opened my eyes again. We children looked
accusingly at each other while eating breakfast. Then we had to be
washed and dressed in our best clothes to go to meeting. When the wagon
was at the door and we were ready to start I had doughnuts and bread
and butter in every pocket of my coat and trousers. I got in quickly and
pulled the blanket over me so as to conceal the fullness of my pockets.
We arrived so late I had no chance to go to the dog before we went into
meeting. I was wearing boots that were too small for me, and when I
entered with the others and sat down upon one of those straight backed
seats of plain, unpainted pine my feet felt as if I had been caught in
a bear trap. There was always such a silence in the room after the elder
had sat down and adjusted his spectacles that I could hear the ticking
of the watch he carried in the pocket of his broadcloth waistcoat. For
my own part I know I looked with too much longing for the good of my
soul on the great gold chain that spanned the broad convexity of his
stomach. Presently I observed that a cou