nd listened more sharply. He was immensely
interested. He was certainly a youngster, and twenty-five cents was the
exact amount of money he possessed.

"I heard a man ask him just that question once, and he answered,
book-fashion. He's a precise sort of a fellow, and it makes me think of
Ben Franklin, or some of those fellows who ate and drank and slept by
rule.

"'Well, sir,' he said, drawing himself up in a proud way that he has.
'Well, sir, the method is very simple. I made it a point to live up to
three maxims: Do everything exactly in its time. Do everything as well
as possible. Learn everything I possibly can about everything that can
be learned.'"

The two laughed immensely over these directions, then swallowed their
last drops of coffee and departed, leaving Tode in an ecstasy of glee.
He had learned how to secure the management of those horses; they were
not beyond his reach after all. If so great things were attainable
merely from the following out of those simple rules, why then the
position of coachman was attainable to him.

"Easy enough thing to do," he said, as he freshened the tables for new
comers. "It's just going straight ahead, pitching into what you've got
to do, and doing it first-rate, and finding out about everything under
the sun as fast as you can. I can do all _that_."

And having reduced the synopsis of all success to language that best
suited his style, Tode straightened the cloths and brought fresh
napkins, and gave an extra touch to the glittering silver, and managed
to throw so much practice from his newly acquired stock in trade into
his movements, that Mr. Roberts, passing through the room, said within
himself: "That queer scamp is improving again. I believe I'll hold on to
him a while longer." So sunshine came back to Tode. Not that he gave up
the horses--not he, it was not his way to give up; but he had bright
visions in the dim distant future of himself seated grandly on a stylish
coach box, and he whistled for joy and pushed ahead.

The very next afternoon Tode was sent on an errand to the Hastings
mansion. It wasn't often he got out in the daytime, so he made the most
of his walk; and the voice was fresh and cheery which floated up to
Pliny Hastings as he tossed wearily among the pillows in his mother's
room.

"Is that Tode? Yes, it is, I hear his voice. Dora, ring the bell, I want
to have him come up here."

"My son--" began Mrs. Hastings.

"Oh now, mother, do let a fe