wake up. There is no "company" in the garret to be disturbed by the
noise. There is no crotchety old Uncle, or Grand-Ma, with their
everlasting "Boys, boys!" and then a look of such horror!

There is great fun in groping through a tall barrel of books and
pamphlets, on the look-out for startling pictures; and there are
chestnuts in the garret drying, which you have discovered on a ledge of
the chimney; and you slide a few into your pocket, and munch them
quietly,--giving now and then one to Nelly, and begging her to keep
silent,--for you have a great fear of its being forbidden fruit.

Old family garrets have their stock, as I said, of castaway clothes of
twenty years gone by; and it is rare sport to put them on; buttoning in
a pillow or two for the sake of good fulness; and then to trick out
Nelly in some strange-shaped head-gear, and old-fashioned brocade
petticoat caught up with pins; and in such guise to steal cautiously
down-stairs, and creep slyly into the sitting-room,--half afraid of a
scolding, and very sure of good fun,--trying to look very sober, and yet
almost ready to die with the laugh that you know you will make. And your
mother tries to look harshly at little Nelly for putting on her
grandmother's best bonnet; but Nelly's laughing eyes forbid it utterly;
and the mother spoils all her scolding with a perfect shower of kisses.

After this you go, marching very stately, into the nursery, and utterly
amaze the old nurse; and make a deal of wonderment for the staring,
half-frightened baby, who drops his rattle, and makes a bob at you as if
he would jump into your waistcoat-pocket.

But you grow tired of this; you tire even of the swing, and of the
pranks of Charlie; and you glide away into a corner with an old,