An old man worked as a night watchman( 守夜者 ) outside a bank. He had to walk round the bank all night and shout for help (呼救) if he saw a thief. But the old man was very lazy. He did not like walking. He likes to lie on his bed and sleep. At the same time he wanted people to think that he was doing his work. “I know what I can do” he said to himself. “Once a week I will get up in the middle of the night and shout “Stop, thief! Stop, thief!” The police will come. Everyone will think I am a good watchman”. And this is what he did. For six nights a week he slept all night. But on the seventh night he got up and shouted “Stop, thief! Stop, thief!” and blew his whistle (口哨) . The police soon came and said: “Where is the thief, old man?” “I frightened (惊吓) him away,” the old man said. “You are a good watchman and you are brave” the police said and went away. The people at the bank were very pleased with him. A week later he did the same thing again. The police came at once. “Where is the thief?” they asked. “I frightened him away. I think it was the same man as last time”. This happened every week for many weeks. Then the police said to one another. “This old man is deceiving (欺骗) us. He shouts once a week to make us think he is a good watchman. He will shout “Stop, thief” again but we shall not go to him”. The following week a thief tried to break into the bank. “Stop, thief! Stop, thief!” the watchman shouted and blew his whistle. But the police did not come, and the thief hit the watchman over the head.