goin' at? Hey? Hear me? Come
right straight back to me this minute, if you know what's good for
yourselves!"

All were surprised by this outburst and awaited its result with
curiosity.

The two little boys had been suspiciously quiet on the farther end of
that long porch where the household practically lived. Mrs. Trent had
glanced their way, occasionally, but supposed them to be engrossed by
the patent whistle and top which had been found in Ephraim's pack,
neatly marked with their respective names. Yet one could not eat tops
nor whistles, and their elbows had been seen, from the rear, to move
in a suggestive manner.

"They're eatin' somethin' all this time. I wonder what!" had been Mrs.
Benton's private reflection. But when Jessica came back with her
report of the lost wand, the elbow action had suddenly ceased; and,
after what appeared to be a brief whispered consultation, they had
slunk away down the path, Ned trying to help Luis hide something
within his blouse, though not, apparently, succeeding.

At the sound of Aunt Sally's voice, indeed, they dropped the box they
had been secreting and burst into a paroxysm of giggling, as was their
customary receipt of her chiding. The giggle was always destined to
end in tears, but this never prevented its recurrence.

"Neddy Trent! If that bad little Garcia boy is doing wrong, it's no
need you should be naughty, too. Come back here and show poor auntie
what you've got in your blouses."

Wheedling had no more effect than scolding, for with one hug of each
other's necks, the children scampered onward, leaving their spoils
behind them.

Then Jessica followed to see what this might be, and exclaimed, in
some surprise:

"Candy! Where did it come from?"

Now, it happened that such sweets, except of homemade manufacture and
on rare occasions, were forbidden the lads, because they were always
made ill by them. That is, Luis suffered and Ned was not allowed
anything his playmate could not share. All the ranchmen knew Mrs.
Trent's wishes on the subject and heretofore none had ever gone
against them. Who had done it now?

Of course, suspicion instantly pointed to "Forty-niner," who
indignantly denied that he had brought, or even thought of bringing,
anything home which his beloved mistress did not wish there.

"Doesn't anybody trust me any more about anything?" he concluded,
wistfully.

The accusation had come from Mrs. Benton, but Gabriella hastened to
soothe the sh