cry. She looked at him a moment, then she put her arm around him, and
drew his head down on her black cashmere shoulder.

"Tell Grandma, can't you," she whispered, "what you did with
Grandpa's coat?"

"I didn't--do--any"--

"Hush," said she, "don't you say that again, Willy!" But she kept her
arm around him.

Willy's mother came running to the door to meet them when they
arrived. She had heard nothing of the trouble. She had only had a
hurried message that they were coming to-day.

She threw her arms around Willy, then she held him back and looked at
him. "Why, what is the matter with my precious boy!" she cried.

"O, mamma, mamma, I didn't, I didn't do anything with it!" he sobbed,
and clung to her so frantically that she was alarmed.

"What does he mean, mother?" she asked.

Her mother motioned her to be quiet. "Oh! it isn't anything," said
she. "You'd better give him his supper, and get him to bed; he's all
tired out. I'll tell you by and by," she motioned with her lips.

So Willy's mother soothed him all she could. "Of course you didn't,
dear," said she. "Mamma knows you didn't. Don't you worry any more
about it."