So he decided to run the risk, and laying down the book he took
the key, went to the door, looked carefully up and down the hall
to make sure of not being seen by any of the servants, and having
satisfied himself on that point, hurried to the school-room,
unlocked Elsie's desk, took out her copy-book, and dipping a pen
in the ink, proceeded deliberately to blot nearly every page in
it; on some he made a large blot, on others a small one, and on
some two or three; and also scribbled between the lines and on the
margin, so as completely to deface poor Elsie's work.
But to do Arthur justice, though he knew his brother would be
pretty sure to be very angry with Elsie, he did not know of the
threatened punishment. He stopped once or twice as he thought he
heard a footstep, and shut down the lid until it had passed, when
he raised it again and went on with his wicked work. It did not
take long, however, and he soon replaced the copy-book in the
precise spot in which he had found it, wiped the pen, and put it
carefully back in its place, relocked the desk, hurried back to
Elsie's room, put the key just where he had found it, and taking
the book, returned to the nursery without having met any one.
Pages:
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239