t--but he
may have been mistaken--that her eyes turned for a moment in his
direction.

"At any rate it isn't much of a loss. Was there anything else in the
closet?"

"There were some doughnuts and beans."

"Were any of them taken?"

"No, not that I can see."

"Cats don't care for them."

"Don't be a fool, Silas! That poor cat had no more to do with the
robbery than I have."

"Mebbe you're right; but cats have been known to steal. I like dogs
better myself."

"I don't!" cried Mrs. Wilson with emphasis. "I'm not going to have any
dog trapesing over my floors with his muddy feet."

"Just as you like, Sophia. You'd better lock the pantry door in future."

"I'm not sure that that will answer, unless I hide the key."

"Do you seriously think a human being took the things?"

"Yes, I do--in the middle of the night."

"By gracious! that's serious, He might have come into our room and taken
my wallet and watch."

"And maybe murdered us in our beds!" added Mrs. Wilson grimly.

"Did you hear anybody walking round the house last night, Bert?" asked
the farmer, who was by this time worked up into a state of agitation.

"No," answered Bert.

"I am glad he did not ask me whether I _saw_ anybody," thought he. "I
don't want to tell a lie."

"I usually sleep pretty sound," he added, a little ashamed of his
duplicity, yet not knowing how else to avert suspicions.

"So we all do!" said the farmer's wife. "We might be all murdered in our
beds without knowing anything about it."

"I shouldn't want to know anything about it if that was going to
happen," observed Silas, not without reason. "I don't think it could
have been a very desperate ruffian, if he contented himself with taking
bread and milk."

"He may come again to-night," suggested Mrs. Wilson.

"I hope not," said Silas fervently. "I--I couldn't sleep if I thought
so."

"We must get to the bottom of this," went on his wife resolutely. "I am
not willing to have such goings on in my house."

"How are you going to do it, Sophia? Probably the thief's miles off by
this time."

"He may be, or he may not be!" said Mrs. Wilson in an oracular tone.

"I've heard of folks walking in their sleep," she added, after a pause.

"You don't mean me?" asked Silas.

"No; if you did it I'd have had a chance to find out in forty years. Do
you ever walk in your sleep?" she asked, turning suddenly to Bert.

The question was so unexpected that he could not help changing c