, and was shocked to find that
Janet's had never been received.

"Well, now, I want to know!" she exclaimed, rocking violently. "I did it
up with my own hands. I remember it exactly, for it was a few days after
the funeral, and I was that flustered I could scarcely tie the cord or
hold the pen. It was a large rag doll I had made for the child, just
about life size, and a face as natural as a baby's. And I made a nice
little satchel to hang at the side, and in the satchel was the money.
Too bad she didn't get it! I remember I gave it to old Mr. Peters to
mail. He was going down Tottenham way, and he said he'd take it to the
post-office there. He'd stopped to see if there was anything he could do
for me just as I was tying it up, so I let him take it along. He's half
blind, and just as likely as not he went to the meeting-house instead of
the post-office. He wouldn't know them apart. You may depend upon it, it
warn't Government's fault you didn't get it. Of that I'm very sure."

And, true to her principles, the patriotic little lady rocked again. No
one told her of the suspicion which had rested upon Neal. It would have
distressed her too deeply, and nothing would be gained by it.

"And now, Jack, I must see those little orphans," she said to her
great-nephew, when he came home that afternoon. "Poor little things, are
they at all happy?"

Jack led her in triumph to the poultry-yard.

"Well, I want to know!" she exclaimed, throwing up her mitted hands when
she saw six or seven hundred very contented-looking fowls of all sizes,
kinds, and ages, each brood in its allotted habitation, pecking,
running, crowing, and clucking, and enjoying life generally.

"You don't mean to say, Jackie, that not one of these hens ever had any
mother but that heartless box in the cellar? Well, I want to know! They
do look real contented. Do tell!"

Her nephew proudly assured her that they appeared to be exceedingly
happy, and that he also was happy; for they paid well, and he would soon
be able to return the money that he had borrowed of her.

And indeed in a few weeks Jack travelled out to Wayborough, and with his
own hands gave back to his aunt the seventy-five dollars which she so
kindly had advanced to him, and which he had earned with his own hard
work.

The best part of it all was when his father spoke to him with
unqualified praise.

"I am really proud of my son, Jack," he said. "You have done well. I
have watched you careful