time. He was asleep on the couch and never heard me. I couldn't pull
the spool through the hole, so I've brought one end of the thread.
We'll take turns winding it on to our spool."

They wound, and wound, and wound.

"Seem's if there is no end," complained Buster.

Limpy-toes went on with the work. Suddenly, the thread tightened and
the spool in the playroom stopped bobbing.

The twins crept slyly to the hole to see what had happened. They came
back giggling softly.

"Old Tom thinks someone is bobbing it for him to play with," lisped
Tiny.

"Stop winding," directed Silver Ears, "and old Tom will soon take
another nap."

When Mother Graymouse returned, Silver Ears had the shopping bag
neatly mended and there was plenty of thread upon their spool.

"I meant to have gone for it myself. And I had told you, Silvy, never
to go to the play-room without asking," she scolded.

"I'm sorry I disobeyed, Mammy," said Silver Ears. "You see, we needed
the thread so badly and it was such fun to fool old Tom, that I
forgot what you said. Please forgive me, Mammy?"