inside, when, as you see, having carved out two eyes and a slit for the
nose, it looks somewhat ghastly when the light comes forth."

"It's a debbil, debbil," cried Pompey. "Massa Peter sent me to find his
skates, and dat awful face"--Pompey's teeth chattered, and Peter went
off in a fresh burst of laughter.

"It soured him properly, Uncle Gulian; and though I ran after him and
shook it (it only looks gruesome in the dark, you know) he never
stopped, and he stumbled on the first step, and then he rolled--My! how
he did bump"--and naughty Peter sat down on the stalls and held his
sides for very merriment.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself," said Gulian sternly, to whom
practical jokes were an utter abomination, "and you deserve to be well
punished. Pompey, stop groaning, and inform me at once whether you have
sustained any injury by your fall."

"Law, Massa Gulian, you tink falling down dat stair gwine to hurt dis
chile?" began Pompey, who entertained a warm affection for the
mischievous Peter and dreaded nothing so much as a scolding from his
master. "Dose stairs don't 'mount to nuffin; ef it had been de area
steps dey moughten be dangerous. Massa knows boys mus' have dey fun:
please 'cuse me for makin' such a bobbery."

"Well, I did it," said Peter sturdily, instantly sobered by the
expression of his uncle's face, and his generous heart touched with
Pompey's defense of his prank, "and nobody helped me, so let's have the
whipping right off before dinner, please, Uncle Gulian, and then I can
eat in peace--even if I am a trifle sore," wound up the sinner ruefully.