t does it matter to me?" grumbled
Bristles. "But as I was saying, Fred, my mom sent me over in the
afternoon. I didn't want to go; not much! That house gives me the
creeps; and aunty has such sharp, piercing eyes. But there wasn't any
getting out of it, so I went. But let me tell you, I was determined to
toe the mark, and not even give a think to the measly opals that once I
was silly enough to admire."

"Well?" said Fred, encouragingly, as the other paused for reflection.

"I gave my little message, and came away as quick as I could," Bristles
presently went on, with a big sigh. "All the rest of the afternoon I
was patting myself on the back, Fred, and saying the old lady would
have a chance to change her mind about little Andrew. But it didn't
wash, Fred, not a bit of it."

"You said, I believe, that two more of the opals had vanished; when did
you hear about that?" asked Fred, to hurry his chum along.

"Why, after I came in just before supper time, feeling better than for
several days. I saw with one eye that mom was bothered again over
something, and I understood what it was when she handed me a little
note she'd got late that afternoon from Aunt Alicia."

He fumbled about in his pockets for several minutes, until Fred grew
impatient.

"Never mind about the note," he remarked; "perhaps you handed it back,
or you may have lost it, Bristles. I should think you could tell me the
gist of it."

"You'd better guess I can!" burst forth the other, with renewed
feeling. "It ran about this way, Fred: She had the unpleasant duty to
perform of telling mother that two more of her opals had disappeared
that afternoon, and could not be found, high or low. She was not
accusing _anybody_ of taking them, oh! no, not for worlds; but it was
a _strange coincidence_, that was all."

"Whew! that sounds hot off the bat!" remarked Fred, with a low whistle
to indicate his feelings in the matter.

"Yes, she used that very word," Bristles went on; "and I guess it hit
the case right well, for it _is_ a coincidence, I give you my solemn
word, Fred, and nothing more."

"I believe you. Bristles; I'm as sure of it as if she suspected me of
taking her opals, and I knew I was innocent. But was that all the note
said?"

"Well, not quite, Fred. She went on to say that she would be very much
obliged to mom, if, after this, when she had to communicate with her
aunt--for that's what Miss Muster is to mom, you know--she'd send my
sister Kate