of money Kate had ever owned, it was almost the
largest the boy had ever seen. A feeling like awe stole upon him and he
whispered,--without a stutter,--"S'pose he should lose it!"

"That's a good boy. Monty, you're improving so fast, you'll beat the
time I set for you to conquer in. Have you said your piece to-day? And,
of course he won't lose it. Men don't lose things. Except Uncle Moses
his 'specs' and the deacon his two-pronged fork, that's never in the
hay-mow when he wants it there. Stage-drivers don't lose, anyway, and
I'm glad it's you, not I, who have to deal with him. He doesn't like me
much. I _was_ saucy when I came. I don't think I am quite, not quite so
saucy spoken as I was when I came. Do you, Monty?"

"O-o-oh, not n-n-nigh!" he easily replied, never having thought at all
about it. He was still entranced with the possession, even temporary, of
such vast wealth as he was now bestowing in an old and hitherto useless
purse. The crisp new bills. How fat they made it! How utterly and
entirely delightful was this girl from the outside world who had such
wonderful ideas and the ability to carry them out!

Then the purse was put away in the innermost of all his many inner
pockets, and around his blouse, beneath his jacket, Monty fastened a
leather strap. Buckling this so tight he could hardly breathe, and
fastening the coat over all, he slapped his chest admiringly, and
valiantly declared:

"A-a-anybody get that a-a-away from me'll have to k-k-kill me
f-f-first!"

Katy jumped up. "Let's go ask Aunt Eunice about the pumpkins!"

In an instant they were off down the street, and some, looking out of
window as they raced past, remarked:

"There they go again, Sturtevant and Maitland, each generation as close
friends as the other. But chummy as they've been ever since Johnny's
girl came to Marsden, there's something more than common on the carpet
now."

There certainly was. They burst in upon Miss Maitland's solitude,
forgetful to tap at door as they both knew they should, and
simultaneously besought the startled lady:

"Please, Aunt Eunice, may we have all the pumpkins in the south
corn-field?"

At least, that was what Katharine said. Monty's request was proffered
stammeringly but not less earnestly, and he said "punkins" with no
attempt at correctness of speech.

"Children! What a pair of noisy creatures you are! Where have you come
from? You are late if just from school. And, Montgomery, does your
gra