into a cackle of laughter, to find how easily I had been scared.
"Why, it's only clock-work," I said aloud. "They're carved
turnips with candles inside them, fixed to a revolving pole, like
those we used to play with at Oulton, on the 5th of November." My
fear was gone in an instant. I thought to myself how fine it
would be if I could get into that house, to stop the works, in
revenge for the scare they had given me. I wondered how I could
do that.



CHAPTER IV. I LEAVE HOME FOR THE LAST TIME

I was thoroughly ripe for mischief of any kind; my scare had
driven away all desire for sleep. I looked at the window,
wondering if it would be best to go down my ladder again, to get
the ladder in the garden. I was about to do thus, when I
remembered the planks in the box-room. How splendid it would be,
I thought, if I could get a couple of those long planks across
the lane as a sort of bridge. They were strong, thick planks not
likely to sag in the middle if I could only get them across.
Getting them across was the difficulty; for though I was strong
for my age, I found the first plank very contrary. After blowing
out my candles I fixed one end of the board under my heavy
four-post bed, pointing the other end out through the window,
slanting upwards. Straddling across it, I very gingerly edged it
out, a hand's breadth at a time, till I had some ten feet wagging
about in the air over the lane. It was as much as I could do
unaided, to aim the thing. It seemed to have a wild, contrary
kind of life in it. Once or twice I came near to dropping it into