He had slipped down into the hollow of the tree and was wedged in tight. I could just reach his hair but it was so short that I couldn't get a good hold so as to pull him out. Wasn't he scared though! He howled and said "O take me out I shall die," and Sam wanted to run for the doctor.
I told Tommy to be patient and I'd get him out. So I slid down the tree and told Sam that the only thing to do was to cut the tree down and then open it and take Tommy out. It was such a rotten tree I knew it would come down easy. So we took turns chopping, and the fellow who wasn't chopping kept encouraging Tommy by telling him that the tree was 'most ready to fall. After working an hour the tree began to stagger and presently down she came with an awful crash and burst into a million pieces.
Sam and I said Hurray! and then we poked round in the dust till we found Tommy. He was all over red dust and was almost choked, but he was awfully mad. Just because some of his ribs were broke—so the doctor said—he forgot all Sam and I had done for him. I shouldn't have minded that much, because you don't expect much from little boys, but I did think his mother would have been grateful when we brought him home and told her what we had done. Then I found what all her professions were worth. She called father and told him that I and the other miscurrent had murdered her boy. Sam was so frightened at the awful name she called him that he ran home, and father told me I could come right up stairs with him.
They couldn't have treated me worse if I'd let Tommy stay in the tree and starve to death. I almost wish I had done it. It does seem as if the more good a boy does the more the grown folks pitch into him. The moment Sue is married to Mr. Travers I mean to go and live with him. He never scolds, and always says that Susan's brother is as dear to him as his own, though he hasn't got any.
[SING A SONG O' SIXPENCE.]
DRAWN BY R. CALDECOTT.
Sing a Song o' Sixpence,