Tim looked snubbed, and his colour rose. He made a movement to descend the ladder; but on second thoughts, he decided to remain where he was. Bob began to explain.
"The fact is, we've been very puzzled since the day of the athletic sports, when Kitty found out that Tom Hatch never sent her the rabbit he, had promised me he would give her," he said. "We didn't tell you about it at the time, because—well, we thought we wouldn't. We've been trying to find out where Fluffy really came from, and now we think we know."
"Did you find out from Mr. Dottin?" asked Tim, confusedly.
"No, we didn't," Kitty replied. "But we guess that you got Fluffy from Mr. Dottin for us. Did you, Tim?"
Tim nodded, his face growing redder still.
"Oh, how kind of you!" cried Kitty, earnestly. "Thank you ever so much—"
"But why did you make such a mystery about it?" Bob burst in excitedly. "Why did you put the rabbit in the hutch after dark?"
"So that you should both be surprised, and wonder whose present it was," Tim answered. "And when I found out you weren't very surprised—that you believed Torn Hatch had sent the rabbit—I didn't like to own up, for fear you wouldn't believe me."
"Of course we should have believed you," declared Bob. "We should have known you wouldn't tell a lie."
Tim winced on hearing this, remembering the deliberate untruth he had once told Kitty. The little girl was regarding him with wondering blue eyes.