ce the money in question.

"There, neighbor," interposed father, taking hold of the rod. "I insist
on your telling me all about Bub and the money, since I was accused of
having it. Bub didn't steal it?"

"No, no, no!" protested Bub. "I forgot, that's all. I took it and forgot
it. That's all, Mr. Pomfrey. Father knows that's all."

He took on awfully, but it was the pain. I could see he'd done no wrong.

"How did you take it? Come, Bub, tell me all about it," coaxed father.

"It's a pretty story," burst out Mr. Ridlet. "A boy old enough to know
something takes a package of silver dollars for nails! Nails! Takes it
and tosses it into the old carriage room, where it gets covered up, and
never comes to sight till to-day. And our two families set together by
the ears in consequence, and not speaking for half a year. Tell me a boy
doing such a senseless thing as that doesn't deserve a whipping?"

"But I forgot it, father," pleaded poor Bub.

"Has your wife's money been found?" said father, looking real pleased.
"Why, that's the best news I've heard this long while. You and your wife
must be glad. I would hear Bub's story through before giving him such a
whipping. Found it in the old carriage room? He put it there by
mistake?"

"Mistake!" roared Mr. Ridlet. "If it was by mistake, why didn't he
remember it? It's a likely story! I asked him over and over again where
he was that morning."

"You see I clean forgot it, Mr. Pomfrey," sobbed Bub, not daring to
speak to his father, "for I just ran in to see if father had got the
nails I wanted, when I heard Seth outside. He'd come to get me to go out
in his new boat. We had agreed to go that day. You see I asked father to
get the nails for Seth to finish up the boat with; but Seth had found
some. The good time I had that day just put everything else out of my
mind. Then, not having anything more to do with Seth kinder mixed me up
afterwards," explained Bub; "made me forget worse, I suppose."

"How happened it to turn up at last?" asked father.

"Why, Bub was rummaging round this morning, and he lighted on it, he
says," replied Mr. Ridlet. "Says he was so scared, he didn't dare to
tell me till to-night."

Here Bub looked at me, and I understood how he wanted me to tell father
when he had spoken to me under the grape vine. That would make it easier
with his father.

I felt mighty mean then, I can tell you.

"Throw down your switch, neighbor," said father. "You've got an