rolics that very summer; and
although I cannot help laughing at the remembrance of this, you must not
think, child, that I approve of such conduct, or excuse it. No, no, my
dear, far from it."

"I call that a tip-top story! Drive on, grandma, and tell one about
boys," broke in a new voice, and there was Tom astride of a chair
listening and laughing with all his might, for his book had come to an
end, and he had joined the party unobserved.

"Wait for your turn, Tommy. Now, Polly, dear, what will you have?"
said grandma, looking, so lively and happy, that it was very evident
"reminiscing" did her good.

"Let mine come last, and tell one for Tom next," said Polly, looking
round, and beckoning him nearer.

He came and sat himself cross-legged on the floor, before the lower
drawer of the cabinet, which grandma opened for him, saying, with a
benign stroke of the curly head, "There, dear, that 's where I keep the
little memorials of my brother Jack. Poor lad, he was lost at sea, you
know. Well, choose anything you like, and I 'll try to remember a story
about it."

Tom made a rapid rummage, and fished up a little broken pistol.

"There, that 's the chap for me! Wish it was n't spoilt, then we 'd have
fun popping away at the cats in the yard. Now, then, grandma."

"I remember one of Jack's pranks, when that was used with great effect,"
said grandma, after a thoughtful pause, during which Tom teased the
girls by snapping the lock of the pistol in their faces.

"Once upon a time," continued Madam, much flattered by the row of
interested faces before her, "my father went away on business, leaving
mother, aunt, and us girls to Jack's care. Very proud he was, to be
sure, of the responsibility, and the first thing he did was to load that
pistol and keep it by his bed, in our great worriment, for we feared he
'd kill himself with it. For a week all went well; then we were startled
by the news that robbers were about. All sorts of stories flew through
the town (we were living in the country then); some said that certain
houses were marked with a black cross, and those were always robbed;
others, that there was a boy in the gang, for windows, so small that
they were considered safe, were entered by some little rogue. At one
place the thieves had a supper, and left ham and cake in the front yard.
Mrs. Jones found Mrs. Smith's shawl in her orchard, with a hammer and
an unknown teapot near it. One man reported that some one tappe