see my father's poor. I want to help him all I can."

"That's good advice for you, Bob," said Mr. Leavitt.

"Save up money, and help me."

Robert laughed.

"You'll have to wait till I get bigger pay," he said.

"Your father's better off than mine," said Harry.

"Of course, if he don't need it, that makes a difference."

Here the sound of a bell was heard, proceeding from the house.

"Robert," said his father "go in and tell your mother to put an extra
seat at the table. She doesn't know that we've got a new boarder."

He took off his apron, and washed his hands. Tom Gavitt followed his
example, but didn't go into the house of his employer. He lived in a
house of his own about five minutes' walk distant, but left the shop at
the same time. In a country village the general dinner hour is twelve
o'clock--a very unfashionably early hour--but I presume any of my
readers who had been at work from seven o'clock would have no difficulty
in getting up a good appetite at noon.

Robert went in and informed his mother of the new boarder. It made no
difference, for the table was always well supplied.

"This is Harry Walton, mother," said Mr. Leavitt, "our new apprentice.
He will take Bob's place when he goes."

"I am glad to see you," said Mrs. Leavitt, hospitably.

"You may sit here, next to Robert."

"What have you got for us to-day, mother?" asked her husband.

"A picked-up dinner. There's some cold beef left over from yesterday,
and I've made an apple pudding."

"That's good. We don't want anything better."

So Harry thought. Accustomed to the painful frugality of the table at
home, he regarded this as a splendid dinner, and did full justice to it.

In the afternoon he resumed work in the shop under Robert's guidance.
He was in excellent spirits. He felt that he was very fortunate to have
gained a place so soon, and determined to write home that same evening.

CHAPTER XIII. AN INVITATION DECLINED

The summer passed quickly, and the time arrived for Robert Leavitt to go
to the city. By this time Harry was well qualified to take his place. It
had not been difficult, for he had only been required to peg, and
that is learned in a short time. Harry, however, proved to be a quick
workman, quicker, if anything, than Robert, though the latter had been
accustomed to the work for several years. Mr. Leavitt was well satisfied
with his new apprentice, and quite content to pay him the three dollars
a week agr