the middle of the kitchen with a bound. "He's my thief. An' I'm
goin' with Mr. Brown to catch him. So there!"

Mrs. Pepper shivered again, but smiled at Phronsie, who clutched
her tightly with her little arms around the neck. "Well, I
declare!" she said with a cheery laugh, "aren't you going to
untie Mother's bonnet-strings, Baby?"

"Yes, Phronsie," said Polly, with another little laugh, "so you
ought to. I declare, we're all so excited we don't know what to
do. I'm going to make your tea, Mamsie," and she spun off to the
old stove.

Mrs. Pepper smiled at her approvingly. "I won't wait for that
now; we ought to get over and see how Grandma Bascom is. I don't
believe he went there, but we'll see."

"I forgot all about her," said Polly, in a shamefaced way. "I'll
run down the lane and see. You don't need to come, Mamsie. We
three will go."

"I'm goin'. I'm goin'," screamed Joel, rushing for the door.

"Joel," called his mother, "come here." Joel slowly retraced
his steps.

"Remember one thing. You stay with Polly, and do just as she
says. And now, children, hurry along. And if you see the man,
you call me." And Mrs. Pepper went to the door, and, with
Phronsie in her arms, watched them scramble down the lane, and