Rob came in a moment after, and was so charmed with the new punishment, that he got a jump-rope and tethered himself to the other arm of the sofa in the most social manner.
"I got lost too, so I ought to be tied up as much as Nan," he explained to his mother when she saw the new captive.
"I'm not sure that you don't deserve a little punishment, for you knew it was wrong to go far away from the rest." "Nan took me," began Rob, willing to enjoy the novel penalty, but not willing to take the blame.
"You needn't have gone.

You have got a conscience, though you are a little boy, and you must learn to mind it." "Well, my conscience didn't prick me a bit when she said 'Let's get over the wall,'" answered Rob, quoting one of Demi's expressions.
"Did you stop to see if it did ?" "No." "Then you cannot tell." "I guess it's such a little conscience that it don't prick hard enough for me to feel it," added Rob, after thinking the matter over for a minute.
"We must sharpen it up.

It's bad to have a dull conscience; so you may stay here till dinner-time, and talk about it with Nan.

I trust you both not to untie yourselves till I say the word." "No, we won't," said both, feeling a certain sense of virtue in helping to punish themselves.
For an hour they were very good, then they grew tired of one room, and longed to get out.

Never had the hall seemed so inviting; even the little bedroom acquired a sudden interest, and they would gladly have gone in and played tent with the curtains of the best bed.