ieve but what them
grain-chists is full of 'em."

"I am going to look," quoth Mrs. Polly then, in a tone of decision,
and straightway she rose and got a candle.

Ann's heart beat terribly. "O, I wouldn't go up there to-night," said
she.

"Yes; I am going. I'm going to satisfy Nabby about the rats in the
grain-chest, if I can."

She was out the door, at the foot of the stairs, Nabby behind her,
dishcloth and plate in hand, peering fearfully over her shoulder. Ann
was in despair. Only one chance of averting the discovery suggested
itself to her. _She tipped over the churn._ "O, oh!" she screamed.
Back rushed Mrs. Polly and Nabby, and that ended the rat-hunt for
that night. The waste of all that beautiful cream was all Mrs. Polly
could think of--prudent housewife that she was.

So in the night, when the moon was up, and the others were sound
asleep, Ann assisted her thief safely out of the grain-chest and out
of the house. "But, first," said Ann Wales, pausing bravely, with her
hand on the grain-chest lid, speaking in a solemn whisper, "before I
let you out, you must make me a promise."

"What?" came back feebly.

"That you will never, never, steal a horse again. If you don't
promise, I will give you up, now."

"I promise I won't," said the man, readily.

Let us hope he never did. That, speeding out into the clear winter
night, he did bear with him a better determination in his heart. At
all events, there were no more attempts made to rob the new
Horse-House at the Braintree meeting-house. Many a Sunday after that,
Red Robin stood there peaceful and unmolested. Occasionally, as the
years went by, he was tied, of a Sunday night, in Mrs. Polly Wales'
barn.

For, by and by, his master, good brave young John Penniman, married
Ann Wales. The handsomest couple that ever went into the
meeting-house, people said. Ann's linen-chest was well stocked; and
she had an immense silk bonnet, with a worked white veil, a velvet
cloak, and a flowered damask petticoat for her wedding attire. Even
Hannah French had nothing finer when she was married to Phineas Adams
a year later.

All the drawback to the happiness was that John had taken some land
up in Vermont, and there the young couple went, shortly after the
wedding. It was a great cross to Mrs. Polly; but she bore it bravely.
Not a tear sparkled in her black eyes, watching the pair start off
down the bridle-path, riding Red Robin, Ann on a pillion behind her
husband. But,