"Thomas, what does this mean?" said Aunt Faith severely.

Tom looked up and saw the extent of his audience. "It's just my
underground shanty, Aunt Faith," he said dejectedly; "I've worked like
a slave over it all day, and the B. B.'s agreed to sit up here all
night and have lots of fun, so I climbed out of the back window and
came down. But first they wanted things to eat, and I had to get 'em;
and then, when they'd eaten up everything, they said if I didn't play
they'd go home, so I had to get my fiddle. And I only knew one tune,
and they got tired of it after a while, and a few minutes ago they all
skedaddled and left me here alone with the dogs. However, I wasn't
going to give it up, so I was just playing to amuse myself a little
before daylight."

"Before daylight?" said Aunt Faith; "what time do you think it is
now?"

"I suppose about four or five," said Tom.

"It isn't one yet," said Hugh laughing. "Come in and go to bed, you
young brigand."

At first Tom objected, but the dogs had already taken advantage of the
open door to depart, the candle burned dimly, and the air was damp. He
yielded, and the underground shanty was left to its earthy seclusion.




CHAPTER III.