othing."

Nat went to work the next day. He found his duties rather simple and
wondered how the firm could afford to pay him seven dollars for the
little he was called on to do. Everybody treated him nicely, and he
considered himself lucky to have made the connection with the firm.

CHAPTER X

OUT OF WORK ONCE MORE

During the time that he worked in the wholesale paper establishment Nat
wrote a long letter to Sam Price, telling his friend of his adventures
since leaving home, and asking for news from the farm. A few days later
an answer came back, which ran as follows:

"I got your letter and found it very interesting. I hope you make
your fortune in the city. It's certainly a fine place to go to, and
maybe I'll try it myself some day. Country life is awful slow, and
work is mighty hard. I have been hoeing corn to-day till my back
aches ready to fall apart.

"Your uncle was awful mad to think you had run away, and madder
still when he found you had sold the cow. He thought you were
hiding in Cleveland, and he stayed in that city three days before
he gave up the search. He claims that the cow belonged to him--that
he took it for board and clothing for you, and he also sticks to it
that you tried to burn down his barn. He says he is going to make
it hot for you if he ever finds you. You can make sure I shan't
tell him where you are."

Nat read the letter with keen interest, not once but several times, and
shook his head slowly over the communication.

"I suppose Uncle Abner will always think I set fire to the barn," he
thought. "Wish I could catch the person who really did do it. Must have
been some tramp who was sleeping there and using a pipe."

At the end of the third week's work Nat had seven dollars saved, of
which amount he was reasonably proud. But now came a setback for which
he was not prepared.

"We have sold this concern to another party," said one of the
proprietors to him. "After Saturday your services will be no longer
required."

"Won't the new bosses need me?"

"No, for they have all the help of their own that they can use. Only our
head bookkeeper will remain."

This was on Thursday, and during the balance of the week our hero looked
around in his spare hours for another position, but without success.
Monday morning found him doing nothing.

"As you said, it is not so easy to get a hold," said he to Dick. "Still,
I