“But the letters!  Jasper Parloe’s initials,” cried the hard-to-be-convinced Helen Cameron.

“They’re uncle’s initials, too,” explained Ruth, quietly.

“Whew!” ejaculated Tom.  “So they are.  ‘J.  P.—­ Jabez Potter.’  Can’t get around that.”

“Well, I never!” gasped Helen.

“Do you suppose all old Jabe’s money is in this?” muttered Tom, weighing the cash-box in his hands.  “It can’t be in coin.”

“I do not know that he had much money in coin,” said Ruth.  “I think he used to change the gold and silver for notes, quite frequently.  At least, Aunt Alvirah says so.”

“But suppose it should be Parloe’s after all?” objected Helen.

“Let’s find that out,” said Tom, vigorously.  “Come on, girls.  We’ll finish eating, pack up, and start back.  We’ll drive right up to Parloe’s and show him this box, and ask him if it is his.  If he says yes, we’ll make him come along to the mill and face Mr. Potter, and then if there is any doubt of it, let them go before a magistrate and fight it out!”

The girls were impressed with the wisdom of this declaration, and all went back to rescue the remains of their luncheon from the birds and from a saucy gray squirrel that had already dropped down to the lowest limb of the tree under which they had spread their cloth, and who sat there and chattered angrily while they remained thereafter, as though he considered that he had been personally cheated out of a banquet.

The girls and Tom were so excited that they could not enjoy the remainder of the nice things that Babette had packed in their lunch basket They were soon in the carriage, and Tubby was startled out of a pleasant dream and urged up the hilly road that led through the woods to the squatter’s cabin, where Jasper Parloe had taken up his quarters after he had been discharged from employment at the Red Mill.

CHAPTER XXV

 Endings and beginnings

When the pony carriage drove into the little clearing about the squatter’s hut, Parloe was pottering about the yard and he stood up and looked at them with arms akimbo and a growing grin upon his sly face.

“Well, well, well!” he croaked.  “All together, air ye?  Havin’ a picnic?”

“We’ve been down yonder in the glen,” said Tom, sternly.

For an instant Jasper Parloe changed color and looked a bit worried.  But it was only for an instant.  Then he grinned again and his little eyes twinkled just as though he were amused.  But Tom kept on, bluntly, saying: 

“We found something there, Parloe, and we came up here to see if it belongs to you.”

“What’s that?” asked the man, drawing nearer.  “I ain’t lost nothing.”

“Don’t say that,” said Tom, quickly.  “At least, don’t say you haven’t hidden something.”

But he could not catch Mr. Parloe again.  The man shook his head slowly and looked as though he hadn’t the least idea of what Tom was driving at.