[1] O Heaven! he has it!

CHAPTER XII.

"A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED."

One, two, three, four, five, six, sounded a deep-throated bell upon the
evening air, and then a chime of bells played Luther's Chant.

"O, dear!" groaned Johnny; "that's the wonderful clock; I wish we had let
it alone."

"Hark!" exclaimed Eric.

His quick ear had caught the sound of footsteps upon the stairway leading
to their room, and he fancied them to be his uncle's. He was right. The
door opened presently, and Mr. Van Rasseulger was with them.

"Well, what is all this nonsense?" he exclaimed, grasping Eric's hand, and
drawing Johnny into his lap. "A good-natured guardian lets you off for a
good time, and you get into trouble the first thing."

Eric related all that had occurred, a little embarrassed at Johnny's
admiring remark,--

"You ought to have seen him spin that little dancing Frenchman against the
wall, papa. I wish I'd been big enough! I'd have thrashed him!"

"Hush, Johnny," said his father. "Go on, Eric. You say he found the money
in the fauteuil. How in the world did the things get into this room?"

"That is just what puzzles everybody," answered Eric, earnestly. "Uncle
John, how _could_ it have got there? and the ring, too?"

"Where did you find the ring, Johnny?"

"Right here, sir, upon the floor, by Froll's cage;" answered Johnny,
getting up and standing in the place.

"It is very mysterious, certainly," Mr. Van Rasseulger said, "and the
strange circumstances give the man strong grounds for suspicion against
you. Of course, it is absurd to think that two little boys would have
committed such a robbery; yet the ring was found in your hands, and the
money concealed in your room, and therefore you are accused."

"But, papa, can't you take us away? We didn't do it."

"You silly boy, I _know_ you did not do it. But would you not rather stay
and prove satisfactorily to all that you did not? I should not wish to
take you from here while the faintest shadow of a suspicion lingered that
you were guilty."

"Nor would I wish to go," said Eric, proudly.

"Well, then we'll stay," said Johnny, dolefully; "but I think it is
dreadfully unjust to spoil all our good time. We Americans wouldn't do so
to a Frenchman."

"I'm afraid we would, under such suspicious evidences," said his uncle.
"But you needn't worry about it, boys; every cloud has a silver lining."

"It isn't pleasant to know we can't go out of