Paul the Courageous

nd,-he could not have made himself do it at that moment for all the wealth the world could offer. Then, fearing he knew not what, he turned with a sudden swift impulse,

gripping his limbs, blackness creeping over his sight. Before he reached the road he stagge

Then memory returned, and a sickening fear mingled with his shame of his own terror. In his shame he made himself look all about him, he made himself stay quietly where he

farm, some of his courage returned, and greatly though he dreaded it, he made his way to the boot-house instead of scuttling into the house, and into safety at once. Strangely enough the window of the boot-house was open and he had soon dropped his boots inside, in the hope that they would appear in the morning with the others, all black, shiny, and innocent looking; and crept away back to the open window whence he had escaped.

to eat; but what a tale it'll be to tell the other fellows when

anced. This feeling grew stronger, too, when, on turning and stretching, he heard his mother's voice

stare. "Is it late, mother? Have y

but when we found we could not rouse you, we let y

he said stupidly. He really did not remember at once

nd there were footmarks on the window-sill, and about the floor. The strange thing is that nothing has been moved or taken

felt thoroughly despicable as he lay there, listening to his mother's story, knowing that he could explain all, and so save every one much alarm and trouble. "I sh

em now, the whole affair would be shown up. And at that moment Mrs. Anketell did catch sight of the stockings, lying inside out and rolled up anyhow, on the floor

ings are quite wet, and-oh, look, my dear child, what have you done to them?" She h

hment. His mother mistook the look on his face for another kind of surprise. "How can they have got into such

t when I came to be

n grass, and wet grass too." She put down the stocking, and picked up the knickerbockers which were lying on a chair. "My dear child,

dear?" she asked, puzzled and amazed

that he could wilfully deceive her, or that such a thing as had really

walk in your sleep?" she as

ted at the possibility of a new way out of his dilemma, "

e if it is a case of sleep-walking,-only it will be a great anxiety for the future. You had better get up now and dress

never could he lie still and think of the deception he had practised on his mother. When he came to move, the stiffness and pain in his scraped knees almost made him cry out, and when