"Strange!" said he; "I remember it was there all safe at six o'clock; for I saw it with my own eyes. It was spread in an old singing-book; and the singing-book is gone too." "Could anybody have taken it?" said Love. "Who was here last night?" "O, I never leave a man alone in the bar-room," replied her father; "at any rate I didn't last night." "Caleb would attend to that," said Mrs. Parlin; "he is more particular than you are, I think." Willy looked up, with his black eyes full of questions. "Was it that money you had for the oxen, papa? Caleb telled me all about it last night. He said you ought to not keep it; you ought to give it to him; he wanted it." Mr. Parlin shook his head at Willy. "You mustn't make up such stories as that, my son." "I guess he dreamed it," said sister Love. "O, I didn't, I didn't; Caleb said so," cried Willy; "he said so last night." Caleb was gone an unusually long time; and when Dr. Hilton returned from Harlow he said he left him at the bank in that town depositing some money. That seemed strange, for Caleb had been so unfortunate that no one supposed he had any money to put in the bank. "If it was anybody but Caleb, I should almost suspect he took that ninety dollars," said Seth, after a while. "Don't--don't think it," exclaimed his mother; "we know Caleb too well for that." "O, no, no, no!" cried little Willy. "Caleb is going to give me some rabbits. Caleb carries me pickaback; do you s'pose he'd steal?" They all laughed at that; it was a little boy's reasoning. When Caleb came home that night, and was asked why he had been gone so long, he blushed, and, as Seth thought, looked guilty. He did not say he had put any money in the bank, and did not even mention having been at Harlow at all. Nobody could think why he should make such a secret of going to Harlow, for Caleb was a great talker, and usually told all his affairs to everybody. "Father has lost ninety dollars, Caleb," said Seth, looking him straight in the eye; "who do you suppose has got it?" "Where? When?" cried Caleb; and then, when he had heard the story, he turned quite pale, and declared he was "'palled." When Caleb was greatly amazed, he said he was "'palled." It was very uncomfortable at Mr. Parlin's for a few days. Nobody liked to believe that Caleb had taken the money, but it did really seem very much like it. Mrs. Parlin said she could not and would not believe it, and she even shed tears when she saw her husband and sons treat Caleb so coldly. Poor Caleb! Whether he was guilty or not, he was certainly very unhappy. "Willy," said he, "what made you tell your father I said I wanted his money? I never made such a speech in my life?" "O, yes, you did, Caleb! Certain true you did! And I a sitting on your knee. But you wouldn't steal, Cale Cushing, and I telled my papa you wouldn't."