One day little Fred's motber, who bad been sick a long time, told
him she was going out with a friend to take a drive. Fred wanted
to go, too, but his mother said there would not be room in the
buggy. Fred felt very cross and unhappy, and sat down on the
front steps, ready to cry as soon as he should see his mother go
away.
A buggy came to the gate, and the gentleman who was driving went
into the house. Fred ran out and climbed into the buggy to sit
there until his mother came out.
In looking around he saw there was a wide space under the seat,
in which a boy might hide. He crawled in, thinking he would take
a ride, and his mother would not know it.
He waited a long time, but no one came, and at last he grew tired
and fell asleep.
He was waked by feeling a big jolt, as a wheel of the buggy
struck a stone; but he kept still. After what seemed to him a
long time the buggy stopped and he heard some one taking the
horse from the shafts. He waited until all was quiet, and then
crawled out from his hiding-place.
He found it was almost dark, and everything about him was
strange. He was very much frightened, but he jumped down and went
to a farm-house close by. A woman he had never seen before came
to the door. When he told her where he lived she said he was
fifteen miles from home, and he found that he had taken his
stolen ride in the buggy of a man who had called to see his
father on business.
It was too late for Fred to go home that night, and he had to
stay at the farmer's house until the next day. Then he was taken
home, and I am very sure he never tried to steal another ride.