"Oh, what a story!" ejaculated Loammi, in perturbation.
"It is true, sir," said Ellen, firmly.
"I have no doubt of it. That will do, Ellen."
"Now, what have you to say?" demanded Ezra Little, addressing his son. "Did you or did you not take the pocketbook?"
"Yes, sir," answered Loammi, reluctantly.
"And you had the meanness to throw suspicion on your cousin. I am ashamed of you."
Loammi made no reply for the very good reason that he had nothing to say.
"I have myself seen Scott this evening, and I also learned from the keeper of the ice-cream saloon that you changed a five-dollar bill there a week since. I have told Scott to come back to the store. As for you, you deserve to be punished. I shall therefore reduce your allowance from a dollar a week to fifty cents till the sum you stole has been made up. Now, you can go upstairs to bed."
Loammi shed tears of vexation.
"Now Scott will be crowing over me," he thought to himself. "I can't stand it; I think I will run away."