, I have taken considerable pleasure collecting spoons
in some of the many cities I visited, all of them wonderfully unique,"
she went on to say, with a sigh; "but perhaps, after all, it is a
useless and pernicious habit, since it may tempt some weak one, and
cause trouble."

Then Thad brought out what he had in his pocket. Hugh held his breath.

"Please take a look at this spoon, will you, Mrs. Pangborn," said Thad,
"and tell me if you have ever seen one like it before!"

She gave the speaker a quick, suspicious look, and eagerly took the
little object. For a minute or so she turned it over and over, while
the two boys were quivering with suspense. Then she spoke.

"Ah! quite a charming specimen of Old English silver workmanship, and I
must say it is exceedingly handsome; but it represents a city in which
I never happened to set foot," with which she handed the spoon back to
Thad, who almost dropped it to the floor, such was his sudden sensation
of intense relief.

CHAPTER XIX

HUGH REACHES HIS GOAL

Thad Stevens looked as though any one could knock him down with a
feather. The astonishing fact that the old lady who made a fad of
collecting souvenir spoons, had failed to recognize the one which he
had purloined from Owen's den "struck him all in a heap," as he
afterwards expressed it. Why, that would seem to indicate Owen must be
entirely innocent, so far as proof went.

Hugh, on his part, was quicker to recover. Although he felt a spasm of
sincere satisfaction pass through him at the result of his chum's test,
at the same time he realized that there was no necessity for making
"mountains out of molehills."

Madame Pangborn had instantly surmised that there was more connected
with that odd little silver spoon than she had as yet grasped. Indeed,
having good eyesight, she could hardly have failed to notice the
strange actions of Thad.

"Tell me what it all means, please, Thad," she besought him; "for I am
certain you must have some deeper motive in fetching that souvenir
spoon to show me than appears on the surface. Don't you think I am
entitled to your full confidence?"

"Indeed you are," said Hugh, quickly, "and you shall hear the whole
story. Both of us are right now tingling with satisfaction and delight
because our worst fears have proved ungrounded."

Then he went on to explain just how Thad had by accident become a
temporary guest under the roof of the Rookery, after having helped ol