tumbled down again, for there actually were four bright
quarters in a row, with a bit of paper on them directed to "Tom Bangs,"
that there might be no mistake.

"Thunder turtles!" cried Tommy, and seizing them he dashed into the
house, bawling wildly, "It's all right! Got my money! Where's Nat?"

He was soon found, and his surprise and pleasure were so genuine that
few doubted his word when he now denied all knowledge of the money.

"How could I put it back when I didn't take it? Do believe me now, and
be good to me again," he said, so imploringly, that Emil slapped him on
the back, and declared he would for one.

"So will I, and I'm jolly glad it's not you. But who the dickens is it?"
said Tommy, after shaking hands heartily with Nat.

"Never mind, as long as it's found," said Dan with his eyes fixed on
Nat's happy face.

"Well, I like that! I'm not going to have my things hooked, and then
brought back like the juggling man's tricks," cried Tommy, looking at
his money as if he suspected witchcraft.

"We'll find him out somehow, though he was sly enough to print this so
his writing wouldn't be known," said Franz, examining the paper.

"Demi prints tip-top," put in Rob, who had not a very clear idea what
the fuss was all about.

"You can't make me believe it's him, not if you talk till you are blue,"
said Tommy, and the others hooted at the mere idea; for the little
deacon, as they called him, was above suspicion.

Nat felt the difference in the way they spoke of Demi and himself, and
would have given all he had or ever hoped to have to be so trusted;
for he had learned how easy it is to lose the confidence of others, how
very, very hard to win it back, and truth became to him a precious thing
since he had suffered from neglecting it.

Mr. Bhaer was very glad one step had been taken in the right direction,
and waited hopefully for yet further revelations. They came sooner than
he expected, and in a way that surprised and grieved him very much. As
they sat at supper that night, a square parcel was handed to Mrs. Bhaer
from Mrs. Bates, a neighbor. A note accompanied the parcel, and, while
Mr. Bhaer read it, Demi pulled off the wrapper, exclaiming, as he saw
its contents,

"Why, it's the book Uncle Teddy gave Dan!"

"The devil!" broke from Dan, for he had not yet quite cured himself of
swearing, though he tried very hard.

Mr. Bhaer looked up quickly at the sound. Dan tried to meet his eyes,
but could not;