er tea they
walked down to the river. Fanny complained of a headache, and did not go
with them. It is more than probable that she was really afflicted, as
she said; for she had certainly suffered enough to make her head ache.
Of course the first thing that attracted the attention of Mr. Grant and
his daughter was the pile of charred timbers that indicated the place
where the boat-house had once stood.

"How did that happen?" asked Mr. Grant of Ben, who was on the pier.

"I don't know how it happened," replied the boatman, who had found his
tongue now, and proceeded to give his employer all the particulars of
the destruction of the building, concluding with Noddy's energetic
exclamation that he wished the boat-house was burned up.

"But did Noddy set the building on fire?" asked Bertha, greatly pained
to hear this charge against her pupil.

"I don't know, Miss Bertha. I went up to the house to get my morning
instructions, as I always do, and left Noddy at work washing up the
boat-house. I found you had gone to the city, and I went right out of
the house, and was coming down here. I got in sight of the pier, and saw
Miss Fanny come out of the boat-house."

"Fanny?"

"Yes; I am sure it was her. I didn't mind where she went, for I happened
to think the mainsail of the Greyhound wanted a little mending, and I
went over to my room after some needles. While I was in my chamber, one
of the gardeners rushed up to tell me the boat-house was afire. I came
down, but 'twasn't no use; the building was most gone when I got here."

"Did you leave anything in the building in the shape of matches, or
anything else?" asked Mr. Grant.

"No, sir; I never do that," replied the old man, with a blush.

"I know you are very careful, Ben. Then I suppose it was set on fire."

"I suppose it was, sir."

"Who do you suppose set it afire, Ben?" said Bertha, anxiously.

"Bless you, miss, I don't know."

"Do you think it was Noddy?"

"No, Miss Bertha, I don't think it was."

"Who could it have been?"

"That's more than I know. Here comes Noddy, and he can speak for
himself."

Noddy had come forward for this purpose when he saw Mr. Grant and Bertha
on the pier, and he had heard the last part of the conversation. He was
not a little astonished to hear Ben declare his belief that he was not
guilty, for he had been fully satisfied that he should have all the
credit of the naughty transaction.

"Do you know how the fire caught, Noddy?