This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 Excerpt: ...and years go by." "That is all very well, if you know for certain the number of days in each month, and in the year. What do you say, Ernest?" "The year contains 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds," returned he promptly. "Perfectly correct!" said I, smiling; "but you would get in a mess with those spare hours, minutes, and seconds in a year or two, wouldn't you?" "Not at all! Every four years I would add them all together, make a day, stick it into February, and call that year leap year." "Well done, Professor Ernest! We must elect you astronomer royal in this our kingdom, and let you superintend and regulate everything connected with the lapse of time, clocks and watches included." Before they went to sleep, I could hear my boys whispering among themselves, about "father's mysterious allusions" to next day's festival and rejoicings; but I offered no explanation, and went to sleep, little guessing that the rogues had laid a counter-plot, far more surprising than my simple plan for their diversion. Nothing less than a roar of artillery startled me from sleep at day-break next morning. I sprang up and found my wife as much alarmed as I was by the noise, otherwise I should have been inclined to believe it fancy. "Fritz! dress quickly and come with me!" cried I, turning to his hammock. Lo, it was empty! neither he nor Jack were to be seen. Thanksgiving-Day. 293 Altogether bewildered, I was hastily dressing, when their voices were heard, and they rushed in shouting:--"Hurrah! didn't we rouse you with a right good thundering salute?" But perceiving at a glance that we had been seriously alarmed, Fritz hastened to apologise for the thoughtless way in which they...