Suddenly she cried out: "Boys, boys, I've found the thief! Look here; pull out these bits and see if they won't make up my lost bills." Down went the motherless babies as four ruthless hands pulled apart their cosey nest, and there, among the nibbled fragments, appeared enough finely printed, greenish paper, to piece out parts of two bank bills.

A large cypher and part of a figure one were visible, and that accounted for the ten; but though there were other bits, no figures could be found, and they were willing to take the other bill on trust.
"Now, then, am I a thief and a liar ?" demanded Ben, pointing proudly to the tell-tale letters spread forth on the table, over which all three had been eagerly bending.
"No; I beg your pardon, and I'm very sorry that we didn't look more carefully before we spoke, then we all should have been spared this pain." "All right, old fellow, forgive and forget.

I'll never think hard of you again,--on my honor I won't." As they spoke, Miss Celia and her brother held out their hands frankly and heartily.

Ben shook both, but with a difference; for he pressed the soft one gratefully, remembering that its owner had always been good to him; but the brown paw he gripped with a vengeful squeeze that made Thorny pull it away in a hurry, exclaiming, good-naturedly, in spite of both physical and mental discomfort,-- "Come, Ben, don't you bear malice; for you've got the laugh on your side, and we feel pretty small.

I do, any way; for, after my fidgets, all I've caught is a mouse!" "And her family.