empty stomach.

When the hostile villagers

found his hut, they approached it very cautiously, armed with pitchforks and spades, &c., and peeped carefully in.

"There lies the fellow asleep," said the men to one another.

Stop a little," said one of them.

shaggy; what if it be a bear!"

"He is so

"Let us club him while he sleeps," proposed another of the cottagers, "or else he may get up and tear us to pieces!

At this moment Walter was dreaming of the cannibals that went to Crusoe's island, and were going to broil him for supper. The dream was so vivid that he started up in great dread, and when at the same time he heard the unwelcome visitors say among themselves, "Let us club him while he sleeps," what could he think in the excitement of the moment, but that they were the real savages of Robinson's island, and had come to roast him. Brave as he was, his heart failed him now. He thought how abominable it was to be devoured by others just when he was so hungry himself; and then what would his dear parents and brothers and sisters say, when

they learnt what an awful fate had overtaken him, poor boy? As this thought crossed his mind he began to cry bitterly, and could only articulate in a faltering voice, "Please, good Master Cannibals, spare my life; I am not worth cooking, for I have had nothing to eat but a few cranberries for a long time!"

"Did you ever?" said one of the men. "Why, bless me, if it isn't young Walter, whom we sought for everywhere yesterday! Come out, you young urchin, and get home to your parents at once, or you'll find that in this wood grow plenty of lively switches!"

Walter was much crestfallen, and no less surprised were the simpletons who had taken him for a bear. They carried him off in triumph, and to make the procession more imposing, they kept him arrayed in the sheep-skin coat and the sugar-loaf headpiece.

His parents were so delighted when they got him back, that they forgot to chide him as severely as he deserved. "Naughty boy," they only said; you have caused us great anxiety, but in having nothing to eat the whole day but cranberries, you have been sufficiently punished."

Walter kissed the hands of both his parents, and intended to have begged their forgiveness; but really he couldn't, for he had his mouth full of a splendid bun fresh from the baker's. He thought to himself that cocoa-nuts and llamas were all very well, but at present he was ready to sell his kingdom of Crusoe for a piece of bread and butter. He felt rather abashed though, particularly after he had satisfied the cravings of hunger. I really don't know if I ought to tell you what he was up to the following night. Well, he stole once more out of the house, barefooted and silent, and again he ran away to the wood, where everything appeared almost as bright as daytime. He had brought matches with him, and now he put fire to his fir-twig hut, which had been built but yesterday; and he stood and gazed thoughtfully at the flames springing gaily upwards, and frightening the little birds that perched in the trees, causing them to hie away to avoid the noxious smoke; and the sun which now was rising betimes, veiled his face with a cloud, in order not to get his bright beams tarnished. "There goes my castle!" thought Walter to himself.

Yes, there it was dissolving fast into smoke, as one's fondest hopes and expectations often do. Walter then sped home, and crept cautiously into his bed again in the cosy room; but in spite of all he had suffered on his uninhabited island, he could not suppress (as he was pulling the bedclothes over his head) a faint little sigh of Happy Robinson Crusoe!"

66

THE SNOWBALL BATTLE.

OW we are going to have a war!" cried little Mathew, as he rushed into the hall, flushed with excitement, adorned with huge moustaches made by charcoal smut, a cock's feather stuck in his cap, and brandishing his wooden sword!

"Heaven save us!" ejaculated old Sarah, who was sweeping the dining-room floor, and the news gave her such a fright that she felt so faint, and was nearly sitting down on the floor.

"What do you say, Master Mathew, are we going to have war?"

"That you may depend upon!" said the young fellow, proudly, and stuck his sword into the loop of his belt. "Yes, war! so that it will echo But I say, give me some bread