"Fancy taking a new-laid _egg_ for that," said Ethel severely.

William was pale and indignant.

"Well, I did jus' what the book said to do. Look at it. It says: 'Take
an egg. Conceal it in the pocket.' Well, I took an egg an' I concealed
it in the pocket. Seems to me," he said bitterly, "seems to me this
book isn't 'Things a Boy Can Do.' It's 'Things a Boy Can't Do.'"

Mr. Brown rose slowly from his chair.

"You're just about right there, my son. Thank _you_," he said with
elaborate politeness, as he took the book from William's reluctant
hands and went over with it to a small cupboard in the wall. In this
cupboard reposed an airgun, a bugle, a catapult, and a mouth-organ. As
he unlocked it to put the book inside, the fleeting glimpse of his
confiscated treasures added to the bitterness of William's soul.

"On Christmas Day, too!"

While he was still afire with silent indignation Aunt Lucy returned
from church.

"The vicar _didn't_ preach," she said. "They say that this morning's
sermon was beautiful. As I say, I don't want William to reproach
himself, but I feel that he has deprived me of a very great treat."

"_Nice_ Willum!" murmured Jimmy sleepily from his corner.

As William undressed that night his gaze fell upon the flower-bedecked