make such a fool of yerself? It'll git all over town, and
I shall be mortified to death. Jest like a woman, to git frightened!"

"If _you_ hadn't got frightened, and made a fool of _yourself_, yelling
fire, 'twouldn't have happened!" retorted Mrs. Ducklow.

"Wal! wal! say no more about it! The bonds are safe."

"I was in hopes you'd change 'em for them registered bonds Reuben spoke
of."

"I did try to, but they told me to the bank it couldn't be did. Then I
asked 'em if they would keep 'em for me, and they said they wouldn't
object to lockin' on 'em up in their safe; but they wouldn't give me no
receipt, nor hold themselves responsible for 'em. I didn't know what
else to do, so I handed 'em the bonds to keep."

"I want to know if you did now!" exclaimed Mrs. Ducklow, disapprovingly.

"Why not? What else could I do? I didn't want to lug 'em around with me
forever. And as for keepin' 'em hid in the house, we've tried that!" and
Ducklow unfolded his weekly newspaper.

Mrs. Ducklow was placing the dinner on the table, with a look which
seemed to say, "_I_ wouldn't have left the bonds in the bank; _my_
judgment would have been better than all that. If they are lost, _I_
sha'n't be to blame!" when suddenly Ducklow started and uttered a cry of
consternation over his newspaper.

"Why, what have ye found?"

"Bank robbery!"

"Not _your_ bank? Not the bank where _your bonds_"----

"Of course not; but in the very next town! The safe blown open with
gunpowder! Five thousand dollars in Gov'ment bonds stole!"

"How strange!" said Mrs. Ducklow. "Now what did I tell ye?"

"I believe you're right," cried Ducklow, starting to his feet. "They'll
be safer in my own house, or even in my own pocket!"

"If you was going to put 'em in any safe, why not put 'em in Josiah's?
He's got a safe, ye know."

"So he has! We might drive over there and make a visit Monday, and ask
him to lock up----yes, we might tell him and Laury all about it, and
leave 'em in their charge."

"So we might!" said Mrs. Ducklow.

Laura was their daughter, and Josiah her husband, in whose honor and
sagacity they placed unlimited confidence. The plan was resolved upon at
once.

"To-morrow's Sunday," said Ducklow, pacing the floor. "If we leave the
bonds in the bank over night, they must stay there till Monday."

"And Sunday is jest the day for burglars to operate!" added Mrs.
Ducklow.

"I've a good notion--let me see!" said Ducklow, looking at the clo