"When I went for the doctor? Yes."
"Well, I was down near the gate, a-hangin' round, not knowin' what I was agoin' ter do, and when I seen yer go by, I thinks here's a chance. Most likely she's left a door open or somethun, and I can git in and git somethun or other. Yer see, I was so hungry I was ready for anything. And I found the back door open, and I walked in as easy as anything. I was afraid to hide in the kitchen, for I heard people movin' round, so I crep' inter the parlor, for I knew the big sofa there'd hide me."
"Why, how did you know that?" asked Theodora. "Have you ever been in our parlor?"
The boy dropped his eyes again, and again shifted his hat.
"I jest thought there'd be some place there," said he; "most folks has sofas."
"And what were you going to do? Were you going to stay there all night?"
"I was agoin' ter stay there till the house got quiet, and then I was agoin' ter make a grab and be off."
"A grab?" repeated Teddy, wonderingly.
"Yes, a grab. I was agoin' ter take a lot o' things—them silver things and some o' the chiny—anythin' I could get."
"You mean you were going to steal something?"