Ludlum’s tone began to indicate a mental strain. “I don’t _want_ to go to bed without my bow-an’-arry!” “What do you want your bow and arrow when you’re in bed for?” “I got to have it!” “See here!” said Mr. Thomas. “You march up to bed and quit talking about your bow and arrow. You can take them with you if you go in there right quick and get them; but whether you do that or not you’ll march to bed inside of one minute from now!” “I _got_ to have my bow-an’-arry. I got to, to go upstairs _with_.” “You don’t want your bow and arrow in bed with you, do you?” “Mamma!” Thus Ludlum persisted in his urgent appeal to that court in whose clemency he trusted. “Mamma, will you _please_ come get my bow-an’——” “No, she won’t.” “Then will you come upstairs with me, mamma?” “No, she won’t! You’ll go by yourself, like a man.” “Mamma——” Mrs. Thomas intervened cheerily. “Don’t be afraid, dearie,” she said. “Your papa thinks you ought to begin to learn how to be manly; but the lights are lit all the way, and I told Annie to turn on the one in your room. You just go ahead like a good boy, and when you’re all undressed and ready to jump in bed, then you just whistle for me——” “I don’t want to whistle,” said Ludlum irritably. “I want my bow-an’-arry!” “Look here!” cried his father. “You start for——” “I got to have my bow-an’——” “You mean to disobey me?” “I _got_ to have my——” Mr. Thomas rose; his look became ominous. “We’ll see about that!” he said; and he approached his son, whose apprehensions were expressed in a loud cry. “_Mamma!_” “Don’t hurt his feel——” Mrs. Thomas began. “Something’s got to be done,” her husband said grimly, and his hand fell upon Ludlum’s shoulder. “You march!” Ludlum muttered vaguely. “You march!” “I got to have my bow-an’-arry! I _can’t_ go to bed ’less mamma comes with me! She’s _got_ to come with me!” Suddenly he made a scene. Having started it, he went in for all he was worth and made it a big one. He shrieked, writhed away from his father’s hand, darted to his mother, and clung to her with spasmodic violence throughout the protracted efforts of the sterner parent to detach him. When these efforts were finally successful, Ludlum plunged upon the floor, and fastened himself to the leg of a heavy table. Here, for a considerable time, he proved the superiority of an earnest boy’s wind and agility over those of a man: as soon as one part of him was separated from the leg of the table another part of him became attached to it; and all the while he was vehemently eloquent, though unrhetorical. The pain he thus so powerfully expressed was undeniable; and nowadays few adults are capable of resisting such determined agony. The end of it was, that when Ludlum retired he was accompanied by both parents, his father carrying him, and Mrs. Thomas following close behind with the bow-an’-arry. They were thoughtful when they returned to the library.