point, "she once said she
kind of liked your looks, after you'd been in there with me. I sure
believe you made a hit with Aunt Alicia; because, as a rule, she
doesn't care much for boys, you know."

"Hold on, Bristles," said Fred, laughingly; "that won't wash a bit.
You're giving me some taffy now, just to make me agree to visit your
aunt. But, honest, I don't care to take the chances. My reputation is
pretty good up to now; but it might go to flinders if anyone said I was
taking things that did not belong to me."

"But, good gracious! Fred, she wouldn't have any reason to accuse you!"
Bristles burst out, very much disappointed because his pet scheme
promised to meet with a hitch so early in its development.

"You forget one thing?" said Fred, soberly.

"Perhaps I have, because, you see, I'm all excited; and it isn't apt to
leave a fellow in decent trim for thinking. But what was it I forgot,
Fred; tell me that?"

"Why, perhaps one or two of the balance of those opals might take a
notion to disappear about the same time I dropped in to see your aunt,
without any invitation to do it. And in that case she'd just naturally
think you'd put me up to keeping the queer business going. I'd hate to
have her think that of me, and much worse send word to my father and
mother that I was a thief!"

"I should say so," declared Bristles, gloomily. "Bad enough to have her
say that I was; and that's all in the family, you see. I never once
thought of that, believe me, Fred. Wouldn't have asked you to take such
chances, if I had. 'Course it wouldn't be fair, and I'm a selfish
feller for hinting at it."

"I don't think so, Bristles," Fred went on, consolingly. "It looked
good to you, because you never thought of the chances of another raid
being made on your aunt's opals. But perhaps you might have your mother
go over and see Miss Alicia. She could mention what you thought, and
even if the old lady did pretend to scoff at the idea, it would put a
flea in her ear, so perhaps she'd keep an eye on Black Joe."

"I'll think about it, Fred. I don't fancy dragging my mother into the
game if it can be helped. I'd like to lift the lid myself, and then
have the laugh on Aunt Alicia. Some day, perhaps, she'll be sorry she
thought so mean of me, and wouldn't listen to my defense. You wait and
see. I'm going to get at the bottom of this thing if it takes me all
summer."

"Well, General Grant got there in the end, and let's hope you'll be a