is father said
again, when the discussion was ended for the night.

Willy was not awake at the breakfast hour next morning, so the family
sat down without him. They were not half through the meal when there
were some quick steps on the path outside; the door was jerked open,
and there was aunt Annie and uncle Frank.

She had Willy's little yellow cane in her hand, and she looked as if
she did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"It's found!" she cried out, "it's found! Oh! where is he? He left his
cane, poor little boy!"

Then she really sank into a chair and began to cry. There were
exclamations and questions and finally they arrived at the solution of
the mystery.

Poor little Willy had not done anything with Grandpa's coat. Mrs.
Perry had not given it to him. She had--given it to another boy.

"Last night about seven o'clock," said uncle Frank. "Mr. Gilbert
Hammond brought it into the store. It seems he sent his boy, who is
just about Willy's age, and really looks some like him, for a bundle
he expected to come by express. The boy was to have some shoes in it.

"I suppose mother caught a glimpse of him, and very likely she didn't
have on her glasses, and can't see very well without them, and she
thought he was Willy. She was changing her dress, too, and I dare
say only opened the door a little way. Then the Hammond boy's got a
grandfather, and the shoes and the whole thing hung together.

"Mr. Hammond said he meant to have brought the bundle back before, but
they had company come the next day, and it was overlooked.

"Father and mother both came running over the minute they heard of
it, and nothing would suit Annie but we should start right off on the
night train, and come down here and explain. And, to tell the truth,
I wanted to come myself--I felt as if we owed it to the poor little
chappie."

Uncle Frank's own voice sounded husky. The thought of all the
suffering that poor little innocent boy had borne was not a pleasant
one.

Everything that could be done to atone to Willy was done. He was loved
and praised and petted, as he had never been before; in a little while
he seemed as well and happy as ever.

The next Christmas Grandpa Perry sent a beautiful little gold watch to
him, and he was so delighted with it that his father said, "He doesn't
worry a bit now about the trouble he had in Exeter. That watch doesn't
seem to bring it to mind at all. How quickly children get over things.
He has forgotten