ested. Nevertheless, although she
consented, she grumbled not a little to her husband about the
inconvenience of the scheme. The money offered her by the manager had
been the only redeeming factor in the case. Quite ignorant of these
conditions, Ted had made his advent into the house and she soon found
to her amazement that the daily coming of her cheery boarder became an
event which she anticipated with motherly interest.

"He is such a well-spoken boy and so nice to have round," asserted she
to Mr. Wharton. "Not a mite of trouble, either. In fact, he's a hundred
times handier than my own man, who although he can make a garden thrive
can't drive a nail straight to save his life. And there's never any
fussing about his food. He eats everything and enjoys it. I believe
Stevens and I were getting dreadful pokey all alone here by ourselves.
The lad has brightened us up no end. We wouldn't part with him now for
anything."

Thus it was that Ted Turner made his way. His password was usefulness.
He never measured the hours he worked by the clock, never was too busy
or too tired to fill in a gap; and although he was popular with
everybody, and a favorite with those in authority, he never took
advantage of his position to escape toil or obtain privileges. In fact,
he worked harder if anything than did the other men, and as soon as his
associates saw that the indulgence granted him did not transform him
into a pig, they ceased any jealousy they cherished and accorded him
their cordial goodwill. For Ted was always modestly respectful toward
older persons; and if he knew more about farming and some other things
than did a good many of the laborers on the place, he did not push
himself forward or boast of his superiority.

Consequently when he ventured to say, "I wonder if somebody would help
me with this harrow?" he would receive a dozen eager responses, the men
never suspecting that Mr. Wharton had given this little chap authority
to order them to aid with the harrowing of the field. Instead each
workman thought his cooperation a free-will offering and enjoyed giving
it.

Thus a fortnight passed and no one could have been happier than was Ted
Turner on a certain clear June evening. He had finished his Saturday
night supper of baked beans and brown bread and after it was over had
lingered to feed the Stevens's hens, in order to let Mr. Stevens go
early to Freeman's Falls to purchase the Sunday dinner. As a result, it
was later