said.

"Perhaps I shall meet Luke. He won't have anything more to say about my
going without an overcoat."

After supper Harry, arrayed in his best suit and wearing the overcoat,
walked down tot he center of the village.

Luke was standing on the piazza of the tavern.

"Luke, see how Walton is dressed up!" exclaimed Frank Heath, who was the
first to see our hero.

"Dressed up!" repeated Luke, who was rather shortsighted. "That would be
a good joke."

"He's got a splendid overcoat," continued Frank.

"Where'd he get it? Merrill hasn't been making him one."

"It's none of Merrill's work. It's too stylish for him."

By this time Harry had come within Luke's range of vision. The
latter surveyed him with astonishment and it must be confessed, with
disappointment; for he had been fond of sneering at Harry's clothes, and
now the latter was far better dressed than himself.

"Where did you get that coat, Walton?" asked Luke, the instant Harry
came up.

"Honestly," said Harry, shortly.

"Have you got anything else new?"

Harry opened his coat and displayed the suit.

"Well, you are coming out, Walton, that's a fact," said Frank Heath.
"That's a splendid suit."

"I thought you couldn't afford to buy a coat," said Luke.

"You see I've got one," answered Harry.

"How much did it cost?"

"That's a secret."

Here he left Luke and Frank.

"Well, Luke, what do you say to that?" said Frank Heath.

Luke said nothing. He was astonished and unhappy. He had a fondness for
dress and spent a good share of his earnings upon it, paying where he
must, and getting credit besides where he could. But he had never had so
stylish a suit as this and it depressed him.

CHAPTER XVI. ASKING A FAVOR

There was one other tailor in the village, James Hayden, and to him Luke
Harrison determined to transfer his custom, hoping to be allowed to
run up a bill with him. He did not like his style of cut as well as
Merrill's, but from the latter he was cut off unless he would pay the
old bill, and this would be inconvenient.

He strolled into James Hayden's shop and asked to look at some cloth for
pants.

Hayden was a shrewd man and, knowing that Luke was a customer of his
neighbor, suspected the reason of his transfer. However, he showed the
cloth, and, a selection having been made, measured him.

"When will you have them done?" asked Luke.

"In three days."

"I want them by that time sure."

"Of course you pay cas