"Certainly," said Mrs. Mudge, rather unwillingly, but not venturing to
refuse.

"It takes me to come it over the old lady," said Ben, when they were out
of hearing.

"Now, we'll go a fishing."




V.

A CRISIS.


Before sunrise the next morning Paul was awakened by a rude shake from
Mr. Mudge, with an intimation that he had better get up, as there was
plenty of work before him.

By the light of the lantern, for as yet it was too dark to dispense with
it, Paul dressed himself. Awakened from a sound sleep, he hardly had
time to collect his thoughts, and it was with a look of bewilderment
that he surveyed the scene about him. As Mrs. Mudge had said, they were
pretty full already, and accordingly a rude pallet had been spread for
him in the attic, of which, with the exception of nocturnal marauders,
he was the only occupant. Paul had not, to be sure, been used to very
superior accommodations, and if the bed had not been quite so hard, he
would have got along very well. As it was he was separated from slats
only by a thin straw bed which did not improve matters much. It was