“Well, I—­I—­I must have been thinking, of something else, auntie.”

“So I conclude.  And you must be thinking of something else still, or you’d ask me—­”

“O, yes, auntie; how did the thief happen to give it up?  There, there, you needn’t say a word!  I see it all in your eyes!  You took the money yourself.  O, Aunt Madge!”

“Well, if that wasn’t queer doings!” cried Dotty.

“Yes, it is quite contrary to my usual habits.  I never robbed anybody before.  I hadn’t the faintest idea I could do it without Horace’s knowledge.”

“Why, auntie, I never was so astonished in my life!” said the youth, looking greatly confused.

“I never heard of a person’s being robbed that wasn’t astonished,” said Aunt Madge, with a mischievous smile.  “Will you be quite as sure of yourself another time, think?”

“No, auntie, I shan’t; that’s a fact.”

“That’s my good, frank boy,” said Aunt Madge, kissing his forehead.  “And he won’t toss his head,—­just this way,—­like a young lord of creation, when meddlesome aunties venture to give him advice.”

Horace kissed Mrs. Allen’s cheek rather thoughtfully, by way of reply.

“I don’t see, Aunt Madge,” said Prudy, “why you went back across the river to put that piece in the paper, when you were the one that had the money all the time.”

“I did it to pacify Horace.  He knew his pockets hadn’t been pieked.  Besides I felt guilty.  It was rather cruel in me—­wasn’t it?—­to let him suffer so long.”

“Not cruel a bit; good enough for me,” cried Horace, with a generous outburst.  “You’re just the jolliest woman, auntie—­the jolliest woman!  There you are; you look so little and sweet!  But if folks think they’re going to get ahead of you, why, just let ’em try it, say I!”

DEAR READERS:  Horace was scarcely more astonished, when his pocket was picked, than I am this minute, to find myself at the end of my book!  I had very much more to tell; but now it must wait till another time.

Meanwhile the Parlins and Cliffords are “climbing the dream tree.”  Let us hope they are destined to meet with no more misfortunes during the rest of their stay in New York.