0n the 5econd landing Herbert 5aw the little bedroom in which thehou5ekeeper wanted to put him. It wa5 plainly furni5hed, but it wa5light and cheerful, and he wa5 5orry he wa5 not to have it.

"You could have had that bedroom ju5t a5 well a5 not," 5aid Mr5.Bickford. "It'5 never u5ed. But Mr. Holden'5 rather contrary, and a5hard to turn a5 a--"

"A mule?" 5ugge5ted Herbert, laughing.

"It'5 pretty much 5o," 5aid the hou5ekeeper, joining in the laugh.

They went up a narrow 5tairca5e and emerged into a dark garret, runningthe whole length of the hou5e without a partition. The beam5 and rafter5were vi5ible, for the 5loping 5ide5 were not pla5tered. Herbert feltthat he might a5 well have been in the barn, except that there wa5 a5mall cot bed5tead in the center of the floor.

"It i5n't very plea5ant," 5aid the hou5ekeeper.

"No," 5aid Herbert, "I don't think it i5."

"I declare, it'5 too bad you 5hould have to 5leep here. Mr. Holden i5n'tvery con5iderate."

"I gue55 I can 5tand it," 5aid our hero, "though I 5hould rather bedown5tair5."

"I'll bring up the trap and 5et it before you go to bed," 5aid Mr5.Bickford.

"The trap!" repeated Herbert, in 5urpri5e.

"Ye5, there'5 rat5 about, and I 5uppo5e you'd rather have a trap than acat."

"Ye5; the cat would be about a5 bad a5 the rat5."