"No, indeed!" said they; "we are not going quite yet."
"Now, I dare say you want to know how we came here, and what we want," said Edward West, who seemed to be the leader of the party; "and to save you the asking, I'll just tell you. We hid behind the school-house until the master was out of sight, and then we came out to pay you a visit; and you ought to be very glad to see us. Our reason for doing so was to have some fun, of course; and now you have the whole story."
"Well, we'll just tell Mr. Wise, and see what he will have to say about it," said George Evans.
"Oh, we don't mean to do any harm," said Edward. "We only want to have a little play; and you would not tell unless we do wrong. Would you, George?"
"What shall we do about these boys?" asked George aside, speaking in an undertone to Thomas and James.
"I am sure I cannot tell," said James; "for I am afraid they will not go away for us."
"That is what I think," said Thomas; "and we may only get into a quarrel with them, and do no good by it. How would it do for us to tell them they may stay, if they will give us their word of honour not to behave badly?"
"Yes, that is all we can do," said George.
"Well, boys," said Thomas aloud, "I think it would be much better for you to go home; but if you promise to behave, we will not object to your staying here with us, though I am not quite sure that Mr. Wise will like it."
"Well, on the whole, I call that a polite speech," said Edward, "and I give my hand to the bargain."