rom this
woman's brother and his companion.'

"The Mayor was very much astonished, but before he could open his lips
the woman fell on her knees and confessed all. The Mayor called an
officer and sent her away. Then he turned to Tip-Top, and asked:--

"'Is that all?'

"'By no means, your honor. The saddle says send for the coachman.'

"The Mayor did so, and the coachman came, bowing and smiling.

"'How much is the saddle worth?' the Mayor asked him.

"'Master, it is worthless,' replied the coachman, with a sneer.

"'Let us see,' said the Mayor. Then, turning to Tip-Top: 'What does
the saddle say?'

"'It says, your honor, that this coachman here has a nephew, who has
just returned from a long journey. It says that the nephew has a
companion who has short hair and a heavy hand.'

"'What more?'

"'The saddle says, your honor, that if you will sleep in the manger
where your two finest horses feed, you will receive a visit from the
coachman's nephew and his traveling companion.'

"The coachman implored his master's mercy, and told all. Of course,
the Mayor was very much astonished. He turned his unfaithful servants
over to an officer, and that night had a watch set around his house
and stable, and caught the thieves and their companions."

"But the saddle didn't talk," said Sweetest Susan. "So the man didn't
tell what was true." She made this remark with so much dignity that
Mrs. Meadows laughed.

But Buster John was quite impatient.

"This isn't a girl's story," he exclaimed.

"Oh, yes," replied Mrs. Meadows. "It is for girls as well as boys.
Sometimes people tell stories just to pass the time away, and if the
stories have little fibs in 'em, that don't do anybody any harm, they
just keep them in there. If they didn't, the story wouldn't be true."

"Is that the end of the story of the Talking-Saddle?" asked Buster
John.

"No! Oh, no!" Mr. Thimblefinger answered. "I was just going to tell
you the rest."

But before he could go on with it, the noise of laughter was heard at
the door, and then there came running in a queer-looking girl and a
very queer-looking boy.

VI.

THE TALKING-SADDLE AND THE THIEF.

The queer-looking girl was running from the very queer-looking boy,
and both were laughing loudly. When they saw the children sitting at
the table they both stopped suddenly. The queer-looking girl turned
and made a wry face at the very queer-looking boy. At this both burst
out laughing, a