a quarter extra for
sleeping on a gilded bedstead, since the room would be so dark he
could not see the gilt even if he wished to do so. I could not have
said anything to such a powerful argument, so I am very glad the
mechanic's wife set the matter at rest by offering him a bed in her
house.

He spent a very pleasant evening with the family, who made him feel
entirely at home, they were so kind and so plain spoken. Before he
went to bed, he entered under the book account, "By twenty-six
'Wayfarers,' sold this day, $26.00."

He had done a big day's work, much bigger than he could hope to do
again. He had sold more than one half of his whole stock, and at this
rate he should be out of books the next day. At first he thought he
would send for another lot; but he could not judge yet what his
average daily sales would be, and finally concluded not to do so. What
he had might last till Friday or Saturday. He intended to go home on
the latter day, and he could bring them with him on his return without
expense. This was considerable of an argument for a boy to manage;
but Bobby was satisfied with it, and went to sleep, wondering what his
mother, Squire Lee, and Annie were thinking of about that time.

After breakfast the next morning he resumed his travels. He was as
enthusiastic as ever, and pressed "The Wayfarer" with so much
earnestness that he sold a book in nearly every house he
visited. People seemed to be more interested in the little merchant
than in his stock, and taking advantage of this kind feeling towards
him, he appealed to them with so much eloquence that few could resist
it.

The result of the day's sales was fifteen copies, which Bobby entered
in the book account with the most intense satisfaction. He had outdone
the boy who had passed through Riverdale, but he had little hope that
the harvest would always be so abundant.

He often thought of this boy, from whom he had obtained the idea he
was now carrying out. That boy had stopped over night at the little
black house, and slept with him. He had asked for lodging, and offered
to pay for it, as well as for his supper and breakfast. Why couldn't
he do the same? He liked the suggestion, and from that time, wherever
he happened to be, he asked for lodging, or the meal he required; and
he always proposed to pay for what he had, but very few would take
anything.

On Friday noon he had sold out. Returning to the railroad station, he
found that the train wou