The prospect of jail frightened the boys so much that they said they would take the whipping, and promise not to steal any more fruit.
"I am sorry to say, Alfred, that I don't wholly trust your word," the old Squire said.

"You have told me falsehoods before.

We must have your promise in writing." He sent me into the house for paper and pencil, and then set Addison to write a pledge for the boys to sign.

As nearly as I remember, it ran like this: "We, the undersigned, Harvey Yeatton and Alfred Batchelder, confess that we have been robbing gardens and stealing our neighbors' fruit for four years.

We have been caught to-night stealing pears at the old pound.