Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-11-30

| y
twelve sharp"
Twelve p cried Elsie, charmed and
appalled, at the proportions the adven-
ture was amusing.
lis it twelve Mt night? and have we
far to go?"
"No, we haven't; just round that
point there, and then little blt more,
and there you are.
''rhose rats never go far out to sea. "
"And he laughed and winked again,
AS the children ran home to tea, Elsie
said, while dwelling on the delights of
what was before them. "But L think
he Is rather n vulgar boy, don't You,
Charlie.
He winks and grins.
Charlie turned amazed eyes on her.
II think he Is an mcommonly fine
| fellow.
But 1 am not sure that you ought to
go, Elsie.
think it's not girls work." he said
presently.
ooh, yes, Charlie oh. please !" she
cried in a great hurry "oh, do let me |!
"There'H be you to take care of me, F"
eyes, 1 shall take care of you," re-
piled he, with protecting grandeur, as
he yielded.
The two children could hardly hide
from Nurse Norah the state of excite
ment and expectation they were in.
They got away from her as quickly
as they could. and would not stay a
minute in the house till bedtime came.
Then they found her with her face
tied up, toothache from which she had
been suffering all day having come on
very badly.
can do you think, darlin', you could
undress yourself this won evening ?"
she asked "an' I'd go to my bed"
Elsie assured her she could undress
herself, and had often done so at home
when nurse was busy with the baby.
Now, though Elsie would not nave
practiced any deception on Nurse Norah,
she thought it was very fortunate that
she did not undress her that night, be-t
cause the best plan was that she should
not take of her clothes at all SO rs to be
all ready at twelve o'clock.
As they ran home she had wondered
whether Nurse Norah would let her go,
but Charlie had replied, Bother Nurse
Norah
"Say nothing about it. or you'll spoil
the sport"
And Elsie had blindly obeyed him.
He slipped into her room now, and
highly approving of her plan OF lying
down her clothes, bade her go to sleep,
and he would awake her in plenty of
time.
Charlie set his little alarm clock that
he had brought with him, and which
had awoke him on many dark winter
morning in time to learn his tasks be-
fore breakfast. to n quarter to twelve.
He was far enough away from Nurse
Norah for him not to be afraid of its
waking her; and then he too lay down
in his clothes.
''Get up, little lazy thing y were the
WORDS that woke Elsie when she did not
think she had slept for five minutes,
She sprang to her feet, for she knew
the voice; and the boy and girl, hand
i'll hand, groped their way in the dark
out of the room, downstairs, and to the
house door. There was no moon. but
the stars shone, and the soft calm light
was lovely. Something III it made Elsie
stop suddenly, and say
"Oh, Charlie is it naughty?"
"Go back if you are afraid" he ans
we1ed her grufiy; for he too, reproved
by the pure beauty of the. night, had
felt his first qualms of conscience.
But Elsie dreamt not of going back if
he went on, and, hand in hand, they
ran as fast as they could.
They reached the trysting- place, and
there was the tisher.boy waiting for
them, sitting in his boat, that moved
lazily up and down, gently rocked by
the sea, which Itself seemed almost as
leep.
"WelI," grinned the boy Il never
did 1 thought you'd cry off"
'Shove off. my man - cried Charlie.
in tone of command aud "my man,
with low laugh of approval, "shoved
off, as he was hidden.
The boat went rapidly out to sea, in
order to round the point; anu Elsie
pleased and excited. nestled close to
her brother.
They soon found themselves within
few yards of the rocks that formed a
picturesque barrier between sea and
shore.
Then the boat stopped, and the fish
Ell boy looked about him.
"Now then, lend hand u he cried
and he flung the end OF the rope he
caught from the water to Charles as he
spoke.
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