g business, Bobby. Nothing helps a man's
credit so much as paying promptly. Now tell me some of your
adventures--or we will reserve them till this evening, for I am sure
Ellen will be delighted to hear them."

"I think I shall go to Riverdale this afternoon. The cars leave at
half past five."

"Very well; you have an hour to spare."

Bobby related to his kind friend the incidents of his excursion,
including his interview with Colonel Whiting and his niece, which
amused the bookseller very much. He volunteered some good advice,
which Bobby received in the right spirit, and with a determination to
profit by it.

At half past five he took the cars for home, and before dark was folded
in his mother's arms. The little black house seemed doubly dear to him
now that he bad been away from it a few days. His mother and all the
children were so glad to see him that it seemed almost worth his while
to go away for the pleasure of meeting them on his return.

CHAPTER XII.

IN WHICH BOBBY ASTONISHES SUNDRY PERSONS AND PAYS PART OF HIS NOTE.

"Now tell me, Bobby, how you have made out," said Mrs. Bright, as the
little merchant seated himself at the supper table. "You cannot have
done much, for you have only been gone five days."

"I have done pretty well, mother," replied Bobby, mysteriously; "pretty
well, considering that I am only a boy."

"I didn't expect to see you till to-morrow night."

"I sold out, and had to come home."

"That may be, and still you may not have done much."

"I don't pretend that I have done much."

"How provoking you are! Why don't you tell me, Bobby, what you have
done?"

"Wait a minute, mother, till I have done my supper, and then I will
show you the footings in my ledger."

"Your ledger!"

"Yea, my ledger. I keep a ledger now."

"You are a great man, Mr. Robert Bright," laughed his mother. "I
suppose the people took their hats off when they saw you coming."

"Not exactly, mother."

"Perhaps the governor came out to meet you when he heard you was on the
road."

"Perhaps he did; I didn't see him, however. This apple pie tastes
natural, mother. It is a great luxury to get home after one has been
travelling."

"Very likely."

"No place like home, after all is done and said. Who was the fellow
that wrote that song, mother?"

"I forget; the paper said he spent a great many years in foreign parts.
My sake! Bobby; one would think by your talk that you had been away