The children kept thinking what a lovely time they were having; but after tea they both felt tired, and at seven o’clock Mrs. Chick sent Jimmy to bed. The chamber was unfinished, and had no paper or plaster, and in some places the ceiling was so low that even little Jimmy could hardly stand upright. There was a live-oak tree close to the window, and he had seen a bird’s nest in the branches of the tree.
“I’ll hear the birds singing before I wake up,” thought Jimmy drowsily. “And I’ll go straight to sleep, for I’m going to churn that butter in the morning.”
But Jimmy did not go straight to sleep, nor did he waken early; and I will tell you why.
After he had gone up-stairs Mrs. Chick lighted a lamp and sat down in the kitchen to mend stockings, while Edith sat near her, looking over a picture-book. Presently Mrs. Chick said,—
“Dear me! I forgot to bring down that maple-sirup. I meant to have it for the waffles in the morning. But no matter now; I won’t stop to go after it.”
“Is it up-stairs?” asked Edith, who thought that it would be quite too bad to eat waffles without sirup.
“Yes; up-stairs in the closet in the northeast room. I keep it there because it’s a cool place. I used to keep it in the pantry, but the Morse baby always found out where to look for it. She climbs everywhere.”
“I think that Morse baby is more trouble than the kid,” said Edith. “But can’t I go up and get the sirup, Mrs. Chick? I’d like to so much.”
Mrs. Chick considered. She was tired, and did not wish to go herself; but could Edy be trusted with a lamp?
“Just hand down that candle from the mantel-piece, Edy. There,” said she, after lighting it, “that’s safe enough! The pitcher is right on the closet floor, under the lowest shelf, behind a box. Will you be very sure not to carry the candle into the closet?”
“Oh, no, indeed! Oh, _yes_, indeed, I mean! And I’ll be, oh, so careful!”
“Well, if you’ll remember to set the candle down by the chamber door, I think there’ll be no danger.”
“Yes, Mrs. Chick, I will,” said Edith, and danced away joyfully. It was almost an unheard-of thing for her to be trusted with a light, and she enjoyed it. She held the candle aloft, and peered rather cautiously about the unfinished room next door to Jimmy’s. The whole house was so queer, she thought, and Mrs. Chick put things in such droll places.