wan smile.

"Donnow, I'm sure! If he 'appened to wash his face, I could tell
better!"

Clare thought he had washed it pretty well that morning because of his
cut, though he had, to be sure, done it without soap, and had been at
rather dirty work since!

"He says he's been too hungry to wash his face," answered the baker.

"Didn't 'ave his 'ot water in time, I suppose!--Will you answer for
him, Mr. Ball?"

"I can't, Mr. Maidstone--not one way or another. I simply was taken
with him. I know nothing about him."

Here one of the shopmen came up to his master, and said,

"I heard Mr. Ball's own man yesterday accuse this very boy of taking a
loaf from his cart."

"Yesterday!" thought Clare; "it seems a week ago!"

"Oh! this is the boy, is it?" said the baker. "You see I didn't know
him! All the same, I don't believe he took the loaf."

"Indeed I didn't, sir! Another boy took it who didn't know better, and
I took it from him, and was putting it back on the cart when the man
turned round and saw me, and wouldn't listen to a word I said. But a