“Yes.  I didn’t know much about what it meant, but it sounded somehow nice in the books, and I wanted to be one.  But when I asked ’em about it aboard they roared and hooted and made fun, and they all called me Captain Kidd from that time on.  And once, when we were in Shanghai” (Charley’s voice sounded full of horror), “we saw two pirates.  Tad Brice said they was pirates.  The folks was taking ’em to jail.  They was dreadful, black and ugly, and their eyes were so fierce and bad that it made me cold to look at ’em.  I never wanted to be a pirate any more after that, but Bunce and the others, they all kept on calling me Captain Kidd just the same.”

“You absurd, ridiculous boy!” began Aunt Prue, but Grandmother hushed her up.

“Now, Prue, I wont have poor Charley scolded when he’s been so sick,” she said—­“He’s only a boy, anyhow, and he’s going to turn over a new leaf now; aint you, Charley? and go to school regular, and do his chores, and be the comfort of his granny’s life.  He’s had enough of goin’ to sea; haven’t you, Charley? and he’ll stay on the farm now, and we wont ever talk about this bad time he’s had, and just be thankful to get him back home again.”

Charley didn’t answer in words, but he turned and gave Grandmother a big kiss, which she knew meant “yes,” and they were all very happy that night as they sat together around the fire.

So you see that the fox, though he succeeded in his tricks, was not a particularly happy fox after all.  Too much turkey may not be good for a fox, and too much of his own way is certainly not good for a boy.

[Illustration:  OUT FISHING.]

HIDDY-DIDDY!

  Hiddy-Diddy!  Hiddy-diddy!—­
  Ten small chicks and one old biddy! 
  “Cluck!” says Biddy, “cluck, cluck, cluck!”
  “Scratch as I do!—­try your luck!”

  [Illustration]

  How the chickens, one and all,
  Crowd around her at her call! 
  One chick, missing, peeps to say: 
  “Chirp, chirp, chirp!—­I’ve lost my way!”

  Shrill and shriller, comes the sound! 
  “Chirp! chirp! chirp!—­I shall be drowned!”
  Biddy clucks, and bustles quick,—­
  “Where, oh, where’s my little chick?”

  Mister Rooster bustles, too,
  Screaming “Cock-a-doodle-doo! 
  Biddy, I just chanced to look,
  And saw your bantling in the brook!”

  “Gob!” shrieks Turkey, “gob, gob, gobble! 
  Mrs. Hen, you’re in a hobble! 
  Why don’t some one stir about,
  And help your little chicken out?”

  “Moo!” roars Sukey, “moo, moo, moo! 
  What is there that I can do?”
  “Uff!” grunts Piggy, “uff, uff, uff! 
  Say you’re sorry, that’s enough.”

  “Quack!” says Ducky, “quack, quack, quack! 
  I have brought your chicken back!”
  “Oh!” says Biddy, “cluck, cluck, cluck! 
  Thank you!—­thank you! Mrs. Duck!”