"Here he comes! Stick your head down lower--there, that'll do; you can't be seen now. Don't you let on you're here. I'll play a joke on him. Children, don't you say a word."

     I see I was in a fix now. But it warn't no use to worry; there warn't nothing to do but just hold still, and try and be ready to stand from under when the lightning struck.

     I had just one little glimpse of the old gentleman when he come in; then the bed hid him. Mrs. Phelps she jumps for him, and says:

     "Has he come?"

     "No," says her husband.

     "Good-NESS gracious!" she says, "what in the warld can have become of him?"

     "I can't imagine," says the old gentleman; "and I must say it makes me dreadful uneasy."

     "Uneasy!" she says; "I'm ready to go distracted! He MUST a come; and you've missed him along the road. I KNOW it's so--something tells me so."

     "Why, Sally, I COULDN'T miss him along the road--YOU know that."

     "But oh, dear, dear, what WILL Sis say! He must a come! You must a missed him. He--"