Ber. Well, then, when did you get a chance to go up into Mr. Gordon’s room and leave those three pipes there?
Sam. I didn’t take those.
Ber. (reproachfully). Now, Sammy, I said if you told me the truth.
Sam. That’s the truth, Uncle Cran! I took this pipe, and the one in the sugar-bowl and the one in Mr. Gordon’s pocket, but I didn’t take the others.
Ber. By Crismus, you look as if you were telling a straight story. Why in the name o’ all that’s sensible did you steal any of the pipes?
Sam. Well, a man took dad’s away from me, an’ maw didn’t believe it and I knew there wouldn’t any one believe it, and pa whales the stuffins out of me for telling things and—and—I thought if some more people lost their pipes he’d believe me. So I stole three and—and—pa had to believe me.
Ber. (striking his knee). Well, by tunket, if that ain’t one on Lem! (Suddenly looks serious and speaks half to himself.) But belay there, Cranberry! You ain’t got but half the story yet! There’s those other pipes! Well, Sammy, I’ll pull you out of this some way, although I don’t know as it’s the right thing for me to do.
Sam. (stretching). Oh, I’m awful tired! I been layin’ under this sofa awful long. More’n an hour, more’n three hours, I guess. Nat Williams was up here an’ Cap’n Abner. Say, Uncle Cran, it was Cap’n Abner that broke into the post-office last night.
Ber. (at the top of his voice). What?
Sam. He was hunting for a paper. And—and—Cap’n Abner cheated Miss Cynthy. Nat said the land this house stands on belongs to her, and—and—Cap’n Abner cheated Nat’s father, too,—and—and—Cap’n Abner is going to make Miss Arey marry Nat—and—and—she cried over there (pointing to bureau) on top of her doll—and—and—I guess I don’t remember any more.