"Well," said Marco, "I want to tell you about my going away to play this forenoon." "How long were you gone?" asked Forester. "Pretty much all the forenoon," replied Marco. "Well," said Forester, "I am very glad you concluded to confess it of your own accord, but I know all about it." Marco started up in his bed and looked his cousin in the face, and said, "Why, cousin Forester, how did you know?" "To prove to you that I really did know, I will tell you what you did. You got out of the window soon after I went away, and went over into Mr. Eldon's garden, where George Eldon and Samuel Warner were digging worms for bait. Then you went with them down to the river. You hid behind them when you passed in sight of the house, for fear that father would see you, as he was out in the yard, pruning trees. Then you went down to the river and sat on a log under some bushes, fishing. After a while you spied an old log canoe, drifting down the river, and the other boys waded out and got it. Then you all got into it and paddled about a while, and afterward got carried over the rips and upset in the water. Your cap drifted down the stream, and you went after it in the canoe and got it. After that, you took off your stockings and wrung out the water from them, and then came home. You got into the study only about a quarter of an hour before I came." Marco listened to this minute account of his adventures with eager interest, wondering how his cousin could have obtained so early and such complete information. After Forester had concluded, he paused a moment and breathed a long sigh. Then he laid his head down upon his pillow again, saying, "Well, I don't see how you found it out; and I am sorry that you did, for I meant to have told you all about it myself." Marco seemed really disappointed at having lost the opportunity to make his full confession, but Forester told him that he considered that he _had_ made full confession. "You made up your mind to do it," said he, "and you did begin, and it was the beginning which required all the effort. I only refrained from asking you about the details, from a wish to show you that I really knew all about it." "I don't see how you found it out," said Marco. "I suppose it must have been that the boys told you." "No," replied Forester; "I have not seen either of the boys, or heard any thing from them, directly or indirectly." "Then you must have watched me yourself," said Marco, "instead of going away." "Do you think," said Forester, "that I would pretend that I was going away, and then just go out a little way and lie in wait to watch you? "Why, no,"--said Marco,--"I don't really suppose that you would." "No," said Forester, "I really went away nut of town. I went to visit a sick man and help him make his will, and I did not return until just before you saw me." "Then I don't see how you knew," said Marco.