Ah! I almost dread the day, much as I yearn to tread my native soil again." "My chum was telling me that you had quite a collection of queer souvenir spoons," Thad remarked just then, thinking he had found just such an opening as he wished.
Madame Pangborn shot Hugh a suggestive look, as if wondering how far he had confided in his chum.
"Yes, it is true, I have taken considerable pleasure collecting spoons in some of the many cities I visited, all of them wonderfully unique," she went on to say, with a sigh; "but perhaps, after all, it is a useless and pernicious habit, since it may tempt some weak one, and cause trouble." Then Thad brought out what he had in his pocket.

Hugh held his breath.
"Please take a look at this spoon, will you, Mrs.Pangborn," said Thad, "and tell me if you have ever seen one like it before!" She gave the speaker a quick, suspicious look, and eagerly took the little object.

For a minute or so she turned it over and over, while the two boys were quivering with suspense.

Then she spoke.
"Ah! quite a charming specimen of Old English silver workmanship, and I must say it is exceedingly handsome; but it represents a city in which I never happened to set foot," with which she handed the spoon back to Thad, who almost dropped it to the floor, such was his sudden sensation of intense relief..