9.  What was to be done?  Charles began to pick up the feathers one by one; but the old gentleman, who was in an adjoining room, hearing a scuffle, and guessing the cause of it, entered the room, to the consternation of Charles Brown, who was very soon dismissed as a boy who had not principle enough to resist even a slight temptation.

10.  When the room was once more arranged, Henry Wilkins was placed there until such time as he should be sent for.  No sooner was he left to himself than his attention was attracted by a plate of fine, ripe cherries.  Now Henry was uncommonly fond of cherries, and he thought it would be impossible to miss one cherry among so many.  He looked and longed, and longed and looked, for some time, and just as he had got off his seat to take one, he heard, as he thought, a foot coming to the door; but no, it was a false alarm.

11.  Taking fresh courage, he went cautiously and took a very fine cherry, for he was determined to take but one, and put it into his mouth.  It was excellent; and then he persuaded himself that he ran no risk in taking another; this he did, and hastily popped it into his mouth.

12.  Now, the old gentleman had placed a few artificial cherries at the top of the others, filled with Cayenne pepper; one of these Henry had unfortunately taken, and it made his month smart and burn most intolerably.  The old gentleman heard him coughing, and knew very well what was the matter.  The boy that would take what did not belong to him, if no more than a cherry, was not the boy for him.  Henry Wilkins was sent about his business without delay, with his mouth almost as hot as if he had put a burning coal in to it.

13.  Rufus Wilson was next introduced into the room and left to himself; but he had not been there ten minutes before he began to move from one place to another.  He was of a bold, resolute temper, but not overburdened with principle; for if he could have opened every cupboard, closet, and drawer in the house, without being found out, he would have done it directly.

14.  Having looked around the room, he noticed a drawer to the table, and made up his mind to peep therein.  But no sooner did he lay hold of the drawer knob than he set a large bell ringing, which was concealed under the table.  The old gentleman immediately answered the summons, and entered the room.

15.  Rufus was so startled by the sudden ringing of the bell, that all his impudence could not support him.  He looked as though anyone might knock him down with a feather.  The old gentleman asked him if he had rung the bell because he wanted anything.  Rufus was much confused and stammered, and tried to excuse himself, but all to no purpose, for it did not prevent him from being ordered off the premises.

16.  George Jones was then shown into the room by an old steward; and being of a cautious disposition, he touched nothing, but only looked at the things about him.  At last he saw that a closet door was a little open, and, thinking it would be impossible for anyone to know that he had opened it a little more, he very cautiously opened it an inch farther, looking down at the bottom of the door, that it might not catch against anything and make a noise.