asked Miss Celia , as Ben dropped the handful of what looked like rubbish . `` Something warm and wiggly inside of it , '' answered Ben , stooping to examine the contents of the little scarlet bundle . `` Baby mice ! Ai n't they funny ? Look just like mites of young pigs . We 'll have to kill 'em if you 've caught their mamma , '' he said , forgetting his own trials in boyish curiosity about his `` find . '' Miss Celia stooped also , and gently poked the red cradle with her finger ; for the tiny mice were nestling deeper into the fluff with small squeals of alarm . Suddenly she cried out : `` Boys , boys , I 've found the thief ! Look here ; pull out these bits and see if they wo n't make up my lost bills . '' Down went the motherless babies as four ruthless hands pulled apart their cosey nest , and there , among the nibbled fragments , appeared enough finely printed , greenish paper , to piece out parts of two bank bills . A large cypher and part of a figure one were visible , and that accounted for the ten ; but though there were other bits , no figures could be found , and they were willing to take the other bill on trust . `` Now , then , am I a thief and a liar ? '' demanded Ben , pointing proudly to the tell-tale letters spread forth on the table , over which all three had been eagerly bending . `` No ; I beg your pardon , and I 'm very sorry that we did n't look more carefully before we spoke , then we all should have been spared this pain . '' `` All right , old fellow , forgive and forget . I 'll never think hard of you again , -- on my honor I wo n't . '' As they spoke , Miss Celia and her brother held out their hands frankly and heartily . Ben shook both , but with a difference ; for he pressed the soft one gratefully , remembering that its owner had always been good to him ; but the brown paw he gripped with a vengeful squeeze that made Thorny pull it away in a hurry , exclaiming , good-naturedly , in spite of both physical and mental discomfort , -- `` Come , Ben , do n't you bear malice ; for you 've got the laugh on your side , and we feel pretty small . I do , any way ; for , after my fidgets , all I 've caught is a mouse ! '' `` And her family .
I 'm so relieved I 'm almost sorry the poor little mother is dead -- she and her babies were so happy in the old pen-wiper , '' said Miss XXXXX , hastening to speak merrily , for Ben still looked indignant , and she was much grieved at what had happened .
Ben Celia contents cosey cypher fidgets mites mouse paper right