philip waited impatiently from supper-time till half-past nine o'clock. fortunately mr. sprague and oscar went to bed rather earlier than usual.

on account of philip's being locked up some of the "chores" which he had been accustomed to do fell to the father and son. so it happened that when it was twenty minutes to eight mr. sprague said: "i feel sleepy. i think i shall turn in now."

"i am sleepy too, pa," said oscar. "i wonder how philip feels."

"you can sleep with him if you want to," said mr. sprague jocosely.

"thank you, dad. you're very kind, but i don't care to sleep on the floor. i guess the young beggar will feel pretty sore in the morning."

"it's his own fault," said nahum grimly.

"all the same you'd better let him out to-morrow. i don't care about doing his chores right along."

"i'll see about that. whenever he will get down on his knees and beg my pardon he can go free."

by nine o'clock mr. and mrs. sprague and oscar were in bed, and by half-past nine all were fast asleep. the whole family were good sleepers, and it may be added for the senior sprague that he was a good snorer also.

philip posted himself at the window. about five minutes after the time agreed upon he saw in the moonlight his two boy friends approaching, bearing between them a long ladder.

his heart leaped within him. they had not forgotten him after all.

he stood at the open window and waved his hand.

"there he is, albert!" said arthur burks. "i guess he's glad to see us. we'll soon have him out of there."

the two boys came under the window and called up softly:

"has old sprague gone to bed?"

"yes," answered phil. "i hear him snoring."

"i hope they are all fast asleep," said albert. "here, arthur, you just hold on to the ladder while i raise it."

"do you think it is tall enough?" asked arthur.

"i'll risk it."

the two boys worked till they had the ladder raised and leaning against the window.

"will you dare to get out of the window and get down?" asked arthur.

"i guess so."

"be very careful. you don't want to fall."

cautiously phil put out one leg and placed his foot on one rung of the ladder. then clutching firm hold of the side he put out the other, and now he had both feet on the rung.

"now come down carefully!" said albert.

phil followed directions. he was only ten years old, and he certainly did feel a little timid, but he felt that behind him was a prison and before him was liberty, and he did not hesitate. so rung by rung he cautiously descended, till he stood on the ground beside the ladder in the company of his two friends.

"bravo, phil!" said arthur burks. "you've done splendidly. now, albert, let's get away before old sprague hears us."

the ladder was carefully taken down, and the two boys walked off with it. albert at the head and arthur at the foot, while phil followed behind.

"we'll go to your house first, albert, and take the ladder," said arthur. "then phil will go home with me."

the two boys lived not far apart, and this arrangement proved convenient.

"i wonder what old sprague will say in the morning," laughed albert. "he'll wonder how in the world philip got away."

"perhaps he'll think he jumped out of the window."

"how do you feel, phil?" asked arthur.

"i feel pretty hungry."

"what did you have for supper?"

"two thin slices of bread and a cup of tea."

"i guess we'll find something in the pantry at our house," said arthur, "unless rob's got out of bed and eaten it up."

by ten o'clock the ladder was replaced and the several boys were safe at home.

arthur was as good as his word. he got out some bread and butter, some cold meat and a glass of milk, and philip made a hearty meal.

"i haven't had as good a supper for a long time," he said with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

"that's why you're so skinny. if we had you here we'd soon fat you up. now are you ready to go to bed?"

"yes, arthur. how kind you are to me."

"i can't compare with your friend oscar, phil."

"i hope not. oscar's about as mean a boy as i know. he's very different from you and albert."

meanwhile unconscious of the loss of one of their little household mr. and mrs. sprague and oscar slumbered on till after sunrise.

"get up, oscar!" called nahum sprague, going to his son's room. "you must get up."

"what must i get up for?" grumbled oscar.

"because you will have to do philip's chores this morning."

"why don't you call him, pa? i don't see why i should do his work."

"because he is locked up for punishment. i am not ready to let him out yet."

"it seems to me i am being punished. he has nothing to do while i have to get up early and work."

"would you be willing to change places with him, be locked up all day, live on bread and water, and sleep on the hard floor?"

"well, he's done it, and now you might let him out and set him to work."

"i have already said that i would let him out when he got down on his knees and begged my pardon."

"and have i got to do his work till he begs your pardon? i say, that ain't fair."

"i begin to think, oscar, you are very lazy. i'll tell you what you may do. when you are dressed you may go to the door of the attic room and ask philip if he is ready to apologize to me. if he says yes, i'll go up and receive his apology, and then he can come down and go to work."

"all right, pa, i'll do it. i guess he's got enough by this time."

five minutes later oscar was at philip's door. he had forgotten to bring up the key which his father had taken down-stairs the evening previous.

he put his mouth to the keyhole, first rapping at the door to command attention.

"i say, you phil!" he called out.

there was no answer.

oscar rapped again.

"philip lillis!" he called.

for reasons which we understand, though oscar didn't, there was no response.

oscar became angry, and began to pound vigorously at the door.

"there, if he doesn't hear that he must be deaf!" he said to himself.

"i say, do you want to be let out?"

no answer.

"he hears me, and won't answer out of pure spite," reflected oscar indignantly.

he continued to pound.

"look here, you young beggar," he cried, "if you don't answer me i'll get pa to bring up the horsewhip and flog you within an inch of your life. there won't be any bar-room loafers to save you this time."

even this threat seemed to produce no effect, and oscar, quite out of temper, descended the stairs.

"well," said mr. sprague, "what does he say?"

"what does he say? he won't say anything."

"perhaps he didn't hear you," suggested mr. sprague.

"if he didn't he must be as deaf as a post."

"slickening, is he?"

"that's about the size of it."

"well, we can cure him of that."

"i'll tell you what to do, pa. i'll get the horsewhip and you can give him a good thrashing. i told him you would. there won't be any one to interfere up there."

"that's true. go and get the whip, oscar."

no employment was more congenial. oscar went down-stairs with alacrity and soon reappeared with the whip. by this time his father was dressed and ready for action.

"here's the whip, pa. may i go up with you?"

"yes; come up."

father and son ascended the stairs and stood before philip's door.

"speak to him first, pa, and see if he will answer you."

nahum sprague in a stern and authoritative tone called "philip."

no answer.

"didn't i tell you, pa."

"philip lillis!"

again no reply.

"i didn't think the boy would be so owdacious. i'll soon learn him!"

mr. sprague turned the key and opened the door, entering the room with upraised whip. he gave a gasp of surprise.

"why, he isn't here!" he ejaculated.

"isn't here?" shouted oscar in amazement.

"no; and the winder is open," exclaimed mr. sprague.

"he wouldn't dare to jump out, would he?"

nahum sprague advanced to the window and put his head out, expecting to see philip on the ground beneath, perhaps with a broken limb. but no philip was visible!