Tom disappeared under the bed just in time. He lay and “breathed” himself for a time, and then crept to where he could almost touch his aunt’s foot.

“But as I was saying,” said Aunt Polly, “he warn’t bad, so to say — only mischeevous. Only just giddy, and harum-scarum, you know. He warn’t any more responsible than a colt. He never meant any harm, and he was the best-hearted boy that ever was” — and she began to cry.

“It was just so with my Joe — always full of his devilment, and up to every kind of mischief, but he was just as unselfish and kind as he could be — and laws bless me, to think I went and whipped him for taking that cream, never once recollecting that I throwed it out myself because it was