In the night, far into the night it seemed to her that it must be, she was wakened by a sound at her side,—a rustling, scratching sound.
What could it be? Carrie was not so foolish as to be afraid of the dark, indeed she was rather a brave child; but now she felt as if she would have given any thing to have had a light in the room, to see what made that strange sound.
She bore it as long as she could, then woke Nellie.
"What can it be, Nellie?" she whispered, as Nellie listened.
"I don't know: I'm afraid there's somebody here," said Nellie, in the same tone, but very much alarmed.
"What shall we do?" said Carrie, clinging to her sister.
"'Thou shalt not steal,' 'Thou God seest me,' 'The way of transgressors is hard,' if you are a robber," said Nellie, raising her voice as she addressed the supposed intruder with all the Scripture texts she could muster for the occasion, and which might be imagined to influence him.
No answer, but the rustling ceased for a moment, then began again; and it was more than the children could bear.
"Papa! papa!" shrieked Nellie, "there's some one in our room! Please come, do come, papa!" And Carrie joined her cries to her sister's.