The Mimic and Two Other Stories for Boys (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 edition. Excerpt: ...Oh, nothing, nothing at all " It was in vain that he urged Tarlton to permit him to consult his friend; a gloom overspread Tarlton's brow when he began to speak on the subject, and he always returned a peremptory refusal, accompanied by some such taunting expression as this--" I wish we had had nothing to do with such a sneaking fellow. He'll betray us all, I see, before we have done with him." " Well," said Loveit to himself, " so I am abused after all, and called a sneaking fellow for my pains; that's rather hard, to be sure, when I've got so little by the job." In the meantime, the visits to the apple-tree had been now too frequently repeated to remain concealed from the old man who lived in the cottage. He used to examine his only tree very frequently, and missing numbers of rosy apples which he had watched ripening, he, though not much prone to suspicion, began to think that there was something going wrong, especially as a gap was made in his hedge, and there were several small footsteps in his flower-beds. The good old man was not at all inclined to give pain to any living creature, much less to children, of whom he was particularly fond. Nor was he in the least avaricious; for though he was not rich, he had enough to live upon, because he had been very industrious in his youth: and he was always very ready to part with the little he had; nor was he a cross old man. If anything would have made him angry, it would have been the seeing his favourite tree robbed, as he had promised himself the pleasure of giving his red apples to his grandchildren on his birthday. However, he looked up at the tree in sorrow rather than in anger, and leaning upon his staff, he began to...