"

"They can't think we've got anything valuable up there."

"Deacon," burst out Mrs. Hopkins, with a sudden idea, "I believe we've
been fooled."

"Fooled! What do you mean?"

"I believe it isn't robbers."

"Not robbers? Why, you told me it was," said her husband, bewildered.

"_I believe it's that boy._"

"What,--Sam?"

"Yes."

"What would he want downstairs?"

"I don't know, but it's him, I'll be bound. Light the lamp, deacon,
and go up and see."

"But it might be robbers," objected the deacon, in alarm. "They might
get hold of me, and kill me."

"I didn't think you were such a coward, _Mr._ Hopkins," said his wife,
contemptuously. When she indulged in severe sarcasm, she was
accustomed to omit her husband's title.

"I aint a coward, but I don't want to risk my life. It's a clear
flyin' in the face of Providence. You'd ought to see that it is,
Martha," said the deacon, reproachfully.

"I don't see it. I see that you are frightened, that's what I see.
Light the lamp, and I'll go up myself."

"Well, Martha, it's better for you to go. They won't touch a woman."

He lighted the lamp, and his wife departed on her errand. It might
have been an unconscious action on the part of the deacon, but he
locked the door after his wife.

Mrs. Hopkins proceeded to the door of Sam's bed-chamber, and, as the
door was unfastened, she entered. Of course he was still awake, but he
pretended to be asleep.

"Sam," said Mrs. Hopkins.

There was a counterfeited snore.

"Sam--say!"

Sam took no notice.

The lady took him by the shoulder, and shook him with no gentle hand,
so that our hero was compelled to rouse himself.

"What's up?" he asked, rubbing his eyes in apparent surprise.

"I am," said Mrs. Hopkins, shortly, "and you have been."

"I!" protested Sam, innocently. "Why, I was sound asleep when you came
in. I don't know what's been goin on. Is it time to get up?"

"What have you been doing downstairs?" demanded Mrs. Hopkins,
sternly.

"Who says I've been downstairs?" asked Sam.

"I'm sure you have. I heard you."

"It must have been somebody else."

"There is no one else to go down. Neither the deacon nor myself has
been down."

"Likely it's thieves."

But Mrs. Hopkins felt convinced, from Sam's manner, that he was the
offender, and she determined to make him confess it.

"Get up," she said, "and go down with me."

"I'm sleepy," objected Sam.

"So am I, but I mean to find out all about this