6
and, getting out unobserved, would again
join in the game.
One day, however, as he was coming
out of a bag of cherry-stones, where he
had been pilfering as usual, the boy to
whom it belonged chanced to see him.
“Ah, ha! my little Tommy," said the
boy, “so I have caught you stealing my
cherry-stones at last, and you shall be re-
warded for your thievish tricks." On
saying this, he drew the string tight round
his neck, and gave the bag such a hearty
shake, that poor little Tom's legs, thighs
and body, were sadly bruised. He rear-
ed out with pain, and begged to be let
out, promising never to be guilty of such
bad practices again.
A short time afterwards, his mother
was making a batter-pudding, and Tom,
being very anxious to see how it was
made, climbed up to the edge of the
bowl; but, unfortunately, his foot slip-
ped, and he plumped over head and ears
into the batter, unobserved by his moth-
er, who stirred him into the pudding-
bag, and put him in the pot to boil.
The batter had filled Tom's mouth,
and prevented him from crying; but,
