rs. A dollar
you've made is as different from a dollar that's given to you
as your children are from other people's."

"If only the governor had pointed out some good business for me to go
into," complained Bobby as he read this letter over with Agnes.

She shook her head soberly. She realized, more than he possibly could,
as yet, just where Bobby's weaknesses lay. She had worried over them
not a little, of late, and she was just as anxious as old John Burnit
had been to have him correct those defects; and she, like Bobby's
father, was only thankful that they were not defects of manliness, of
courage or of moral or mental fiber. They were only defects of
training, for which the elder Burnit, as he had himself confessed, was
responsible.

"That isn't what he wanted at all, Bobby," she protested. "The very
fact of your two past failures shows just how right he was in making
you find out things for yourself. The chief trouble, I am afraid, is
that you have been too ready to furnish the money and let others spend
it for you."

"I know," said Bobby. "I have been too willing to take everybody's
word, I guess; but I have always been able to do that in my crowd, and
it is rather a dash to me to find that in business you can not do it.
However, I have reformed."

He said this so self-confidently that Agnes laughed.

"Yes," she admitted, "you are convinced that Silas Trimmer is a thief
and a rascal, and you would not take his word for anything. You are
convinced that Applerod's judgment is useless and that your own does
not amount to much, but I still believe that the next plausible
looking and plausible talking man who comes to you can engage you in
any business that seems fair on the surface."

"I deserve what you say," he confessed, but somewhat piqued,
nevertheless. "However, I don't think you are giving me credit for
having learned any lesson at all. Why, only to-day you ought to have
heard me turning down a proposition to finance a new and improved
washing-machine. Sounded very good and feasible, too. The man was a
good talker and thoroughly earnest and honest, I am sure. I really did
want to help the fellow start his business, but somehow or other I
could not seem to like the idea of washing-machines; such a sudsy sort
of business."

Agnes laughed the sort of a laugh that always made him want to catch
hold of her, but if he had any intentions in that respect they were
interfered with just now by Uncle Da