For you must know, boys and girls, that sometimes the fear of being suspected of a misdeed, even when one is absolutely innocent, brings to the face the flush that is considered a sign of guilt, and thus people are misunderstood and wrongfully accused.

When one is high-spirited this is more liable to occur.

It was so, at this moment, with the little Napoleon.

His confused air, his flushed face, even his look of indignant denial, joined as evidence against him so strongly that his uncle the canon said sharply, "Come, you, Napoleon! do not lie to me now." At that remark all the boy's pride was on fire.
[Illustration: "'I never lie uncle, you know I never lie!' said Napoleon"] "I never lie, uncle; you know I never lie!" he cried hotly.
But Uncle Lucien was so certain of the boy's guilt that he mistook his pride for impudence.

And yet he was such a good-natured old fellow, and loved his nieces and nephews so dearly, that he tried to soften and belittle the theft of his precious fruit.
"No harm is done," he said, "if you but tell me what you have done.