my money,
and making the name of Carpenter famous one of these days. Oh! it did
hurt me cruelly, boy."

"But you are mistaken, ma'am, when you think he doesn't care," Fred
went on hastily. "Why, he can't sleep nights, thinking about it."

"Well, that doesn't prove anything," Miss Muster remarked
sarcastically. "A guilty soul often writhes when being punished; and I
suppose my last note to my niece, his mother, brought him into a peck
of trouble. I suppose now he does lie awake nights, thinking. Perhaps
he wonders what he can do with my lovely opals, now he's got them. Or
he may be scheming how to lay hands on the balance."

"He was in to see me this morning, ma'am," Fred observed.

"Oh! is that so? And do you think, Fred, that nice little mother of
yours would like it, if she knew you were keeping company with a boy
who was suspected of abusing the confidence of, his fond aunt, and
helping himself to her possessions."

"I think," said Fred, stoutly, "that if she heard all Andy had to say,
and saw how he suffered, she'd believe just as I do, that he is
innocent, and never touched your opals, Miss Muster."

"Well, somebody did;" the old lady snapped; though evidently more or
less affected by the staunch way Fred stood up for his chum; "does he
have any idea who could have done it? Perhaps he thinks my old black
Mammy did; or poor, but honest, Jake Stall. He was always a fanciful
boy, and it might be he suspects I walk in my sleep, and go around
secreting my own property?"

"No, ma'am he has never hinted at any such thing; but he says, while
lying awake at three o'clock this morning, thinking and thinking how he
could prove his innocence, he suddenly seemed to guess who it might be
taking your pretty stones."

Fred turned and pointed toward the blinking raven as he spoke.

"Well, now," remarked Miss Muster, looking surprised, and then smiling
disdainfully; "if that isn't just like Andrew for all that's out, to
accuse my poor pet of doing so mean a thing. It is true, I know they
will steal, and secrete such things as they particularly fancy; but I
watch Joe closely. Besides, there is another good reason why he
couldn't have taken those opals."

"Yes, ma'am," said Fred, when she paused as if for breath.

"He has been chained to that perch for more than a week past, and I
only set him free this very morning. So you see how Andrew's brilliant
theory falls to the ground. He must think up something else, if he
hope