bird still staid at
Perseverance, studying law with Mr. Chase, and boarding at Squire
Lyman's. He was a very funny man, always saying and doing strange
things; and that brings me round at last to Patty's dollar.

One evening Patty was so tired with picking up chips that she went and
threw herself into her mother's arms, saying, "Why don't the boys stick
the axe clear through the wood, mamma; then there wouldn't be chips to
bother folks."

For a wonder Mrs. Lyman was sitting down without any work in her hands,
and could stop to stroke Patty's hair and kiss her "lips like snips of
scarlet," which made the little girl happier than anything else in the
world. Mr. Starbird sat in a large armchair, holding a skein of yarn for
Dorcas, who sat in a small rocking-chair, winding it.

"Mrs. Lyman," said Mr. Starbird, "do you believe in dreams?"

"Indeed, I do not," replied Mrs. Lyman. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I don't believe in them myself any more than you do, Mrs. Lyman.
But I did have such a very singular dream last night!"

"Do tell us what it was," said Dorcas.

"Certainly, if you like," said Mr. Starbird; "but I--but I don't know
about it; is it best to speak of such things before Patty?"

"Yes, you must, Mr. Starbird," cried Patty, springing up eagerly. "_I_
won't tell anybody, long's I live."

Mr. Starbird laughed.

"Well, in the first place, Mrs. Lyman, let me ask you if you lost any
money ever so long ago?"

"Yes, I lost a twenty-dollar gold piece last summer."

"Yes; and me, too. I had a silver dollar, 'n' I lost it," cried Patty.

"How strange!" said Mr. Starbird. "So my dream does have some sense in
it. Excuse me, Mrs. Lyman; but will you tell me where you kept the
money?"

"In my black silk pocket; but the pocket went too."

"And I suppose you have hunted everywhere for it."

"Of course we have," said Dorcas. "I guess you'd think so, Mr. Starbird;
why, we've turned this house upside down."

"To be sure. Well, I'd like to ask another question, Mrs. Lyman. Did you
ever think that woman that is about here so much--Siller Noonin, I
believe they call her--could have taken the money?"

"O, no, indeed, Francis; we consider Priscilla an honest woman."

"That was not what I meant to say, Mrs. Lyman. What I was going to ask
was this: Wasn't there a funny old man here at the time you lost the
money? and didn't Siller Noonin say that either he stole the money or
she did?"

Mrs. Lyman looked surprised.