im
before long."

We go back to Harry.

He rested for a couple of hours, sheltered from the sun by the foliage
of the oak beneath which he had stretched himself. He whiled away
the time by reading for the second time some parts of the "Life of
Franklin," which he had brought away in his bundle, with his few other
possessions. It seemed even more interesting to him now that he, too,
like Franklin, had started out in quest for fortune.

He resumed walking, but we will not dwell upon the details of his
journey. At six o'clock he was twenty-five miles from home. He had not
walked much in the afternoon when, all at once, he was alarmed by the
darkening of the sky. It was evident that a storm was approaching. He
looked about him for shelter from the shower, and a place where he could
pass the night.

CHAPTER X. THE GENERAL

The clouds were darkening, and the shower was evidently not far off. It
was a solitary place, and no houses were to be seen near by. But nearly
a quarter of a mile back Harry caught sight of a small house, and
jumping over the fence directed his steps toward it. Five minutes
brought him to it. It was small, painted red, originally, but the color
had mostly been washed away. It was not upon a public road, but there
was a narrow lane leading to it from the highway. Probably it was
occupied by a poor family, Harry thought. Still it would shelter him
from the storm which had even now commenced.

He knocked at the door.

Immediately it was opened and a face peered out--the face of a man
advanced in years. It was thin, wrinkled, and haggard. The thin white
hair, uncombed, gave a wild appearance to the owner, who, in a thin,
shrill voice, demanded, "Who are you?"

"My name is Harry Walton."

"What do you want?"

"Shelter from the storm. It is going to rain."

"Come in," said the old man, and opening the door wider, he admitted our
hero.

Harry found himself in a room very bare of furniture, but there was a
log fire in the fireplace, and this looked comfortable and pleasant. He
laid down his bundle, and drawing up a chair sat down by it, his host
meanwhile watching him closely.

"Does he live alone, I wonder?" thought Harry.

He saw no other person about, and no traces of a woman's presence. The
floor looked as if it had not been swept for a month, and probably it
had not.

The old man sat down opposite Harry, and stared at him, till our hero
felt somewhat embarrassed and uncomforta