do it, but I thought if I could make enough money from
the Indians I could buy new batteries for myself and give the children
back their toys.

"But most of the Indians were afraid of the electrical current which
felt like needles, and I could not get many of them to come back after
they had once tried it. So I made no money.

"Tom ran away, and then I stole Eagle Feather's horse. I thought maybe
if I could sell the horse and get money enough to get a new machine that
did not sting so hard, I could make money enough to buy the horse back.

"But everything went against me, and now I have nothing left. I am sorry
I had to rip your Teddy bear apart, little girl, to get the wires on the
batteries. And as for your cars, little boy, I hid them in farms and
various places. I don't know where they are now, but the engine is all
right and in running order."

He quickly loosened the wires, and the toy locomotive ran around the
table on part of the stolen track.

"But my poor dear Sallie Malinda is dead!" cried Sue.

"No, I can sew her together again, if the batteries are all right," said
Mrs. Brown.

"And the batteries are all right," said the hermit, who had heard what
was said. "See, I'll make the eyes shine!"

He quickly did something to the wires and again the eyes of Sue's Teddy
bear shone out bravely.

"I realize how wrong I was to take the children's things," went on the
hermit, "but I knew no other way to get the batteries I needed. I only
had my cow to sell, and I dared not part with her, for she gave me milk
to live on. All the while I kept hoping my luck would be better.

"When Tom ran away I did not know what to do. I did not imagine the
little electricity I gave him would hurt him. A few of the Indians
seemed to like it."

"Yes, me hear um talk of heap big medicine that sting like bees," said
Eagle Feather. "But me no think hermit did it, what has my horse."

"I'm sorry I took it," said Bixby. "I'll give up my cow to pay for all I
took. Then I'll go away."

"Wait a minute," said Mr. Brown. "We'll decide about that later. You
have done some wrong things, but you have tried to do what was right.
We'll try to find a way out of your troubles. Stay here for a few days."

Bunny Brown and his Sister Sue took with them that night their toys so
strangely found, and in a few days the playthings were as good as ever,
for Mrs. Brown sewed up the ripped Teddy bear and Bunny had some new
cars for his electric eng