The two boys then left the church, and went into an adjoining wood, where they staid some time, to watch the white rabbits skipping in and out among the trees. It was nearly seven o’clock when they left the wood, and proceeded homewards. When they had nearly reached their Papa’s house, they overtook the little boy whom they had seen in the church-yard: he was crying piteously. Harold asked him what was the matter: he answered, that he had lost a parcel that he had brought from the town, and which he was carrying to his master’s—Farmer Rand. He had hardly finished saying this, when Archibald exclaimed, “Oh dear me! Oh dear me! I did not mean to leave it there: I quite forgot it. I only meant to carry it up, just for a joke.”
“What do you mean, Archibald?” inquired his brother. Archibald confessed, that, seeing the parcel lying on the grass in the church-yard, he had carried it up into the belfry; only just, as he said, to frighten the little boy, and make him think he had lost it; but intending to bring it down, or, at least, tell him where it was: but when his brother called him to come down lest he should be locked in, he was in such a hurry, that he quite forgot the parcel.
“What is to be done?” said Harold. “Do you know, little boy, what was in the parcel? Do you think your master can wait for it till to-morrow?”
“Oh, no;” said the little boy, “if I go home without it, I know he’ll beat me; I know he’ll beat me: besides, it is doctor’s stuff: my mistress is very ill; and I have been to the doctor’s for it: and she was to take it this evening.”
As soon as he had ended speaking, the little boy began to cry again, saying, over and over again, that he had rather stay out all night, than go home without the parcel.
“Well, Archibald,” said Harold, “I’ll tell you what we must do: one of us must go back to the church, and find the parcel; and the other must go, first to Farmer Rand’s, and say it is all our fault; and beg him not to be angry with the little boy; and that he shall have the parcel presently; and then go home, and tell Papa and Mamma what has happened; because they will be quite frightened that we do not come home in proper time.”
Archibald did not like this proposal at all; and he began to say that he thought it did not much signify to fetch the parcel; and that he dared say they could do well enough without the physic; and so forth: but his brother insisted upon his choosing whether he would go back for the parcel, or to the farmer’s. Archibald proposed that the little boy should go back to the church; and that they should both go together to the farmer’s. But Harold said, that if the old woman had locked up the church, most likely she would not be willing to unlock it, merely at the request of the little boy; especially as she was so deaf that he could not make her understand what was the matter.
“Then we’ll all go back together,” said Archibald.
“No, Archibald,” replied his brother, “we shall not be home again till it is quite dark, and you know how very uneasy Mamma will be.”
To return alone to the church, and ascend the dark narrow stairs, and then grope about for the parcel in the dismal belfry, was what Archibald knew he had not courage for; especially as it would be dusk-light by the time he could get there. He therefore chose to call at Farmer Rand’s, to make an apology for the little boy, and then to return home to acquaint his Papa and Mamma with what had occurred. He secretly resolved, however, to loiter about in the fields till his brother should return with the parcel: as he had not courage enough to go and confess his fault, either to Farmer Rand or to his Papa; he therefore walked on till his brother was out of sight, and then sat on a gate, telling the little boy to wait a bit.