The little girls usually played together in a small room adjoining the sitting-room.  They had by no means the run of the house.  Annie, indeed, felt a certain awe of Lucy’s mother, who was stern and severe with children.

“I’m sure I shouldn’t care to go to the Caryls’, except that Lucy is so seldom allowed to come to see me,” she often declared.

On this particular afternoon Mrs. Caryl had also gone out.

“My Aunt Mollie sent me some lovely clothes for my doll,” said Lucy.  “The box is up on the top story.  Come with me to get it.”

Remembering the “funeral flowers,” as Annie called them, she had an idea that Lucy’s mother kept similar or even more uncanny treasures stored away “on the top story,” which her imagination invested with an air of mystery.  So she hesitated.

“Come!” repeated Lucy, who forthwith tripped on ahead, and looked over the baluster to see why she did not follow.

Annie hesitated no longer, but started up the steps.  Just at that moment a peculiar sound, like the clanging of a chain, followed by a strange, rustling noise, came from one of the rooms above.  A foolish terror seized upon her.

“O gracious! what’s that?” she panted; and, turning, would have fled down the stairs again, had not Lucy sprung toward her and caught her dress.

“It’s nothing, goosie!” said she, “except Jim.  He’s been a naughty boy, and is tied up in the front room.  Ma thought she’d try that plan so he could not slip out to go skating.  I suppose I ought to have told you, though.  Maybe you thought we had a crazy person up here.”

Annie forced herself to laugh.  Reassured in a measure, and still more curious, she ventured to go on.  When she reached the upper hall, she saw that the door of the front room was open, and, looking in, beheld a comical spectacle.  Fastened by a stout rope to one of the high posts of an old-fashioned bedstead was a rollicking urchin of about eight years of age, who seemed to be having a very good time, notwithstanding his captivity.  Upon his shoes were a pair of iron clamps resembling spurs, such as were used for skates.  It was the clank of these against the brass balls, of which there was one at the top of each post, which made the sound that had so frightened Annie.

“Hello!” he called out as he caught sight of her.  And, fascinated by the novelty of the situation, she stood a moment watching his antics, which were similar to those of a monkey upon a pole.  Again and again he climbed the post, indulged in various acrobatic performances upon the foot-board, and then turned a double somersault right into the centre of the great feather-bed.  And all the while his villainous little iron-bound heels made woful work, leaving countless dents and scratches upon the fine old mahogany, and catching in the meshes of the handsome knitted counterpane.

“You’d better stop that!” Lucy called to him.