There was a long row of them covered with towels on an upper shelf.
Ephraim hoisted himself painfully upon a meal-bucket, and clawed a pie over the edge of the shelf.

He could scarcely reach, and there was quite a loud grating noise.

He stood trembling on the bucket and listened, but the double breathing continued.

Deborah had been unusually tired that night; she had gone to bed earlier, and slept more soundly.
Ephraim broke a great jagged half from the mince-pie; then replaced it with another grating slide.

Again he listened, but his mother had not been awakened.
Ephraim crept back to his bedroom.