17.  Now had he looked at the top, instead of the bottom, it might have been better for him; for to the top of the door was fastened a plug, which filled up the hole of a small barrel of shot.  He ventured to open the door another inch, and then another, till, the plug being pulled out of the barrel, the leaden shot began to pour out at a strange rate.  At the bottom of the closet was placed a tin pan, and the shot falling upon this pan made such a clatter that George was frightened half out of his senses.

18.  The old gentleman soon came into the room to inquire what was the matter, and there he found George nearly as pale as a sheet.  George was soon dismissed.

19.  It now came the turn of Albert Jenkins to be put into the room.  The other boys had been sent to their homes by different ways, and no one knew what the experience of the other had been in the room of trial.

20.  On the table stood a small round box, with a screw top to it, and Albert, thinking it contained something curious, could not be easy without unscrewing the top; but no sooner did he do this than out bounced an artificial snake, full a yard long, and fell upon his arm.  He started back, and uttered a scream which brought the old gentleman to his elbow.  There stood Albert, with the bottom of the box in one hand, the top in the other, and the snake on the floor.

21.  “Come, come,” said the old gentleman, “one snake is quite enough to have in the house at a time; therefore, the sooner you are gone the better.”  With that he dismissed him, without waiting a moment for his reply.

22.  William Smith next entered the room, and being left alone soon began to amuse himself in looking at the curiosities around him.  William was not only curious and prying, but dishonest, too, and observing that the key was left in the drawer of a bookcase, he stepped on tiptoe in that direction.  The key had a wire fastened to it, which communicated with an electrical machine, and William received such a shock as he was not likely to forget.  No sooner did he sufficiently recover himself to walk, than he was told to leave the house, and let other people lock and unlock their own drawers.

23.  The other boy was Harry Gordon, and though he was left in the room full twenty minutes, he never during that time stirred from his chair.  Harry had eyes in his head as well as the others, but he had more integrity in his heart; neither the dish cover, the cherries, the drawer knob, the closet door, the round box, nor the key tempted him to rise from his feet; and the consequence was that, in half an hour after, he was engaged in the service of the old gentleman at Elm Tree Hall.  He followed his good old master to his grave, and received a large legacy for his upright conduct in his service.