In fact, these occurrences, such as his being in the house each time a spoon vanishes, may turn out to simply be coincidences." "That sounds just like you, Hugh.

You're the best kind of a friend anybody ever could have.

Perhaps now you've got a clue of some sort that you wouldn't mind telling me about ?" "I've been wondering whether the culprit is a human being after all," remarked Hugh, to the utter astonishment of his comrade, who burst out with: "Whew! you're aiming high, I must say, old chap.

If not a human being, what sort of a creature could the clever thief be?
I've heard of monkeys stealing things and hiding the same away in a spirit of covetousness; but then the old lady doesn't happen to have a simian for a household pet, that I know of." "No, but she has got a poll-parrot, as I told you, Thad!" observed Hugh, calmly.
"Oh! do you suspect that a silly bird could go and carry off not only one spoon but three of them ?" gasped the other boy.

"What would a parrot want of such objects, and where would she hide them ?" "Remember, this is only guess work on my part, because, so far, I haven't any positive evidence that it's so.