"Could she have done it to tease me?" Reuben said,—"I've never had the least thing to do with her but through that post-office window."
"What did you ever give her through the post-office window?" Phil asked half laughingly.
"Questions enough—" Reuben said, his thoughts too busy to notice any underhand meaning,—"and lately she's given me rather cross answers. That's all."
"Well what do you suppose she stole your letters for?"
"I don't know enough about her to guess," Reuben said frankly.
"Well," said Phil, "I guess Dr. Harrison won't appoint the postmaster of Pattaquasset when I am President. I rather think he won't."
"I wish you'd make haste and be President," Reuben said. "But if he didn't know anything about Mrs. Tuck, Phil, other people did—and thought she was honest at least. And you know she's postmaster, by right."
"She—is the female of Dromy!" said Phil with intense expression. "But Mintie aint a fool, and it's she's post-master—anyhow Dromy says it's she that's Dr. Harrison's friend;—so that makes it. But that don't tell why she wants the letters."
"Dr. Harrison's friend?" said Reuben,—"what does she have to do with him?"
"I aint a friend of either of 'em, so I don't know," said Phil. "But girls with pretty faces will make friends with anybody!"