"The ones you tried to steal."

"I didn't try to steal any apples, Mrs. Fox. What makes you
think that?"

"Didn't you try to git in our orchard when Joel fired on you?"
cried Mrs. Fox.

"Why, I haven't been anywhere near your orchard!"

"So?" Mrs. Fox looked bewildered. "Then -- then how did you get
hurt?" she faltered.

"Why, Mr. Wicks and I were cleaning out pa's old shotgun when it
went off accidentally, and I got a couple of the shot in my
forearm," answered Harry Smith promptly.

The answer took away Mrs. Fox's breath.

"Drat them boys -- I knowed it!" she muttered, and drove away
without another word. Harry Smith was much puzzled, but letters
which soon after passed between him and Tom cleared up the
mystery.

But the boys never heard of how Joel Fox fired when his wife got
home. The lady arrived "as mad as a hornet," to use a popular
saying. "You're the worst old fool ever was, Joel Fox!" were her
first words, and a bitter quarrel followed that ended only when
the man was driven out of the house with the ever-trustworthy