CHAPTER XVI DETECTIVE THORNTON

sistheroomandthatisthedrawerontheright.Theloweroneshaveseldombeenopenedsincewecame,andholdonlysomeofpapa'soldbooks.Thoseupperonesyoumayturnoutandinvestigateasmuchasyou—Blessme!here'ssomethinginyourtrap,"ThornyandMissCeliagavealittleskipasshenearlytrodonalong,graytall,whichhungoutofthebolenowfilledbyaplumpmouse. Butherbrotherwasintentonmoreseriousthings,andmerelypushedthetrapasideashepulledoutthedrawerwithanexcitedgesture,whichsentitandallitscontentsclatteringtothefloor. "Confoundtheoldthing!ItalwaysstucksoIhadtogiveajerk.Now,thereitis,topsy-turvy,"andThornylookedMuchdisgustedathisownawkwardness. "NoharmdoneIleftnothingofvalueinit.Lookbackthere,Ben,andseeifthereisroomforapapertogetworkedoverthetopofthedrawer.Ifeltquiteacrack,butIdon'tbelieveitispossibleforthingstoslipouttheplacewasneverfullenoughtooverflowinanyway." MissCeliaspoketoBen,whowaskneelingdowntopickupthescatteredpapers,amongwhichweretwomarkeddollarbills,—Thorny'sbaitforthethief.Benlookedintothedustyrecess,andthenputinhishand,sayingcarelessly,— "There'snothingbutabitofredstuff." "Myoldpen-wiper—Why,what'sthematter?"askedMissCelia,asBendroppedthehandfulofwhatlookedlikerubbish. "Somethingwarmandwigglyinsideofit,"answeredBen,stoopingtoexaminethecontentsofthelittlescarletbundle."Babymice!Ain'ttheyfunny?Lookjustlikemitesofyoungpigs.We'llhavetokill'emifyou'vecaughttheirmamma,"hesaid,forgettinghisowntrialsinboyishcuriosityabouthis"find." MissCeliastoopedalso,andgentlypokedtheredcradlewithherfingerforthetinymicewerenestlingdeeperintothefluffwithsmallsquealsofalarm.Suddenlyshecriedout:"Boys,boys,I'vefoundthethief!Lookherepulloutthesebitsandseeiftheywon'tmakeupmylostbills." Downwentthemotherlessbabiesasfourruthlesshandspulledaparttheircoseynest,andthere,amongthenibbledfragments,appearedenoughfinelyprinted,greenishpaper,topieceoutpartsoftwobankbills.Alargecypherandpartofafigureonewerevisible,andthataccountedforthetenbutthoughtherewereotherbits,nofigurescouldbefound,andtheywerewillingtotaketheotherbillontrust. "Now,then,amIathiefandaliar?"demandedBen,pointingproudlytothetell-talelettersspreadforthonthetable,overwhichallthreehadbeeneagerlybending. "NoIbegyourpardon,andI'mverysorrythatwedidn'tlookmorecarefullybeforewespoke,thenweallshouldhavebeensparedthispain." "Allright,oldfellow,forgiveandforget.I'llneverthinkhardofyouagain,—onmyhonorIwon't." Astheyspoke,MissCeliaandherbrotherheldouttheirhandsfranklyandheartily.Benshookboth,butwithadifferenceforhepressedthesoftonegratefully,rememberingthatitsownerhadalwaysbeengoodtohimbutthebrownpawhegrippedwithavengefulsqueezethatmadeThornypullitawayinahurry,exclaiming,good-naturedly,inspiteofbothphysicalandmentaldiscomfort,— "Come,Ben,don'tyoubearmaliceforyou'vegotthelaughonyourside,andwefeelprettysmall.Ido,anywayfor,aftermyfidgets,allI'vecaughtisamouse!" "Andherfamily.I'msorelievedI'malmostsorrythepoorlittlemotherisdead—sheandherbabiesweresohappyintheoldpen-wiper,"saidMissCelia,hasteningtospeakmerrily,forBenstilllookedindignant,andshewasmuchgrievedatwhathadhappened. "Aprettyexpensivehouse,"beganThorny,lookingaboutfortheinterestingorphans,whohadbeenleftonthefloorwhiletheirpaper-hangingswereexamined. Nofurtheranxietyneedbefeltforthem,howeverKittyhadcomeuponthescene,andasjudge,jury,andprisoner,turnedtofindthelittlewitnesses,theybeheldthelastpinkmitegoingdownPussy'sthroatinonemouthful. "Icallthatsummaryjustice,—thewholefamilyexecutedonthespot!GiveKitthemousealso,andletusgotobreakfast.IfeelasifIhadfoundmyappetite,nowthisworryisoffmymind,"saidMissCelia,laughingsoinfectiouslythatBenhadtojoininspiteofhimself,asshetookhisarmandledhimawaywithalookwhichmutelyaskedhispardonoveragain. "Ratherlivelyforafuneralprocession,"saidThorny,followingwiththetrapinhishandandPussathisheels,adding,tocomforthisprideasadetective: "Well,IsaidI'dcatchthethief,andIhave,thoughitisratherasmallone!"