Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/322

288 Theseus as soon as she saw him, and she let Theseus out of his prison, and led him to the  labyrinth where the Moni—Minotaur lived. They had a ball of twine, and they tied one end to the gate-post, and then unwound it as  they went in, so they could find their way out,  for the walks crisscrossed every way so they  would have been apt to get lost. When they came to the Minotaur, Ariadne stood back and  cried, but Theseus had an awful fight with him  and killed him. Then they came out, hauling in their line as they went along. They let out their friends, and he married Ariadne; and  they went off on board their boat, but in their  hurry they forgot to take the white sails out of  the hold and hoist them, so the poor old king,  who was keeping watch, died of broken heart,  because the schooner came back with black  sails, and he supposed Theseus was eaten up.

“My friends, I think there are two morals to this story. First, keep your promises; and, second, it is a very good thing to fall in love.”

A great clapping of hands greeted Bert’s somewhat unexpected close. When quiet was restored, Bess said,—