ght a
fortune home from the war with him. Let on that he had hidden it about
the house, too."

Professor Spink's eyes snapped, and he leaned forward.

"You don't reckon there is anything in that story; do you, Mr.
Colesworth?" he asked.

"Why--I don't--know," said Harris, slowly, but with a perfectly grave
face. "As I make it out, when the old fellow died the widow made search
for this hidden treasure he had hinted at so often; but when the lawyers
found out that he was entitled to no pension--that he'd lied about
_that_--and that about all he had left her was a mortgage on the place,
Mrs. Harrison gave up the search for money in disgust. She said as he'd
lied about the pension, and about other things, why, of course he'd lied
about the hidden treasure."

"And don't you think he did?" asked Spink, with so much interest that the
others were amused.

"Humph!" responded Harris, gravely. "I don't know. He _might_ have hidden
bonds--or deeds--or even bank notes."

"Pshaw!" exclaimed Mr. Bray, laughing. "That's imagination."

"You need not mind, Professor," said old Mr. Colesworth, sharply. "If
there is money, or treasure, hidden there in the house, or on the place,
and you have bid the place in, as I understand you have, it will be
'treasure trove'--it will belong to you--if you find it."

"Ha!" ejaculated Professor Spink, darting the old gentleman rather an
angry glance.

"I don't know whether it is altogether talk and imagination, or not,"
said Harris, ruminatively. "Cyrus Pritchett was with Bob Harrison when he
died. And he says the old man talked of this hidden money--or treasure--or
what-not--up to the very time be became unconscious. He had a shock,
you know, and it stopped his speech like _that_," and Harris snapped his
finger and thumb.

"It sounds like a story-book," said Grandma Castle, complacently.

"It doesn't sound sensible," observed Lyddy, drily.

"I'm giving it to you for what it's worth," remarked Harris,
good-naturedly. "Mr. Pritchett was sitting up with Harrison when the old
man had his final shock. Harrison had been mumbling along to Cyrus
about what he wanted done with certain of his possessions. And he says:

"'There's that hid away that will be wuth money--five thousand in hard
cash--some day, Cy.'

"Those are the words he used," said Harris, earnestly, and watching
Professor Spink from one corner of his eye. "He was sitting up, Cy said,
and as he spoke he pointed at---- Well," broke