wards, remain outside until the clock
struck eight, when he would creep in as though he had only just
returned?

'But my great trouble only began a few weeks ago, when, one evening,
having cooked his nightly turnip, I waited patiently for my good man's
return. At length the clock struck eight, and, to my surprise, it was
not immediately followed by my husband's timid knock. One minute passed;
two minutes passed; three minutes passed; four minutes passed; and, on
the fifth minute, there was a low knock at the door, and in crept the
miserable man, and cowered to his place. But, as you may suppose, there
was no turnip for him _that_ night, until he had given a satisfactory
explanation of his late return. The only excuse the frightened little
ruffian had to offer was, that he had dropped a needle on the road, and
had to return for it. So he went supperless to bed.

'The next evening, having warmed up the old turnip, I again awaited his
return. Eight o'clock struck, and, to my even greater surprise, it was
not followed by the merchant's knock, and this time it was six minutes
past before he entered, and with no better excuse for his late arrival
than that he had dropped a reel of cotton on the road, and had to return
for it. "Let this be a lesson to you, my man," said I, as I once more
put away the turnip, which he had been regarding with longing eyes, and
sent him to bed.

'For the third time, on the following evening, I warmed up the turnip,
feeling convinced that after the severe lesson he had received, my
merchant would not again serve me such a trick. But eight o'clock
struck, and then one minute passed; then two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, and as the minute-hand pointed to the ten, he
crawled in on hands and knees, not daring to raise his eyes from the
ground. And then I told him what I thought of his conduct.

[Illustration: MOPING ABOUT THE COMMON]

'Without waiting to hear a word of explanation, I now locked him in a
cupboard beneath the stairs, put the turnip away, and went to bed. In
the morning I let him out, but of course gave him no breakfast, and in
due time he took his tray of goods, and left the house without a word.
Hardly had he departed three minutes, when I hastily donned my bonnet
and shawl, and followed him, determined to learn, if possible, what had
delayed him on the three previous evenings. Keeping at a safe distance,
I followed him all over the town, but nothing unusual happen