On
the fifth morning, when they sat down to breakfast, Master Tommy did
not make his appearance, and Mrs. Seagrave asked where he was.
"I suspect, madam," said Old Ready, laughing, "that Tommy will not come
either to his breakfast or his dinner to-day."
"What can you mean, Ready?" said Mrs. Seagrave.
"Why, madam, I will tell you. I thought it very odd that there were no
eggs, and I thought it probable that the hens might have laid astray;
so I went about yesterday evening to search. I could not find any eggs,
but I found the egg-shells, hid under some cocoa-nut leaves; and I
argued, that if an animal, supposing there was any on the island, had
taken the eggs, it would not have been so careful to hide the
egg-shells. So, this morning, I fastened up the door of the hen-house,
and only left open the little sliding door, by which the fowls go in to
roost; and then, after you were up, I watched behind the trees, and saw
Tommy come out, and go to the hen-house. He tried the door, and finding
it fast, crept into the hen-house by the little sliding-door. As soon
as he was in I let down the slide, and fastened it with a nail; so
there he is, caught in his own trap.
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