ace, and my mother depends upon my wages."

"You ought to have thought of this before."

"He aggravated me, sir, so that I wanted to pay him off."

"As to that, he commenced upon me the moment I came into the store.
But don't turn him off, if you please, sir," said Bobby, who even now
wished no harm to his discomfited assailant. "He will do better
hereafter: won't you, Timmins?"

Thus appealed to, Timmins, though he did not relish so direct an
inquiry, and from such a source, was compelled to reply in the
affirmative; and Mr. Bayard graciously remitted the sentence he had
passed against the offending clerk.

"Now, Robert, you will come over to my house and dine with me. Ellen
will be delighted to see you."

"Thank you, sir," replied Bobby, bashfully, "I have been to
dinner",--referring to the luncheon he had eaten at Brighton.

"But you must go to the house with me."

"I should be very glad to do so, sir, but I came on business. I will
stay here with Mr. Timmins till you come back."

The truth is, he had heard something about the fine houses of the city,
and how stylish the people were, and he had some misgivings about
venturing into such a strange and untried scene as the parlor of a
Boston merchant.

"Indeed, you must come with me. Ellen would never forgive you or me,
if you do not come."

"I would rather rest here till you return," replied Bobby, still
willing to escape the fine house and the fine folks. "I walked from
Riverdale, sir, and I am rather tired."

"Walked!" exclaimed Mr. Bayard. "Had you no money?"

"Yes, sir, enough to pay my passage; but Dr. Franklin says that 'a
penny saved is a penny earned,' and I thought I would try it. I shall
get rested by the time you return."

"But you must go with me. Timmins, go and get a carriage."

Timmins obeyed, and before Mr. Bayard had finished asking Bobby how all
the people in Riverdale were, the carriage was at the door.

There was no backing out now, and our hero was obliged to get into the
vehicle, though it seemed altogether too fine for a poor boy like him.
Mr. Bayard and Mr. Butler (whom the former had invited to dine with
him) seated themselves beside him, and the driver was directed to set
them down at No. ---- Chestnut Street, where they soon arrived.

Though my readers would, no doubt, be very much amused to learn how
carefully Bobby trod the velvet carpets, how he stared with wonder at
the drapery curtains, at the tall mirrors, t