her no
chance for reply. "Father says so," was the final argument that clinched
the matter; and she wisely refrained from further controversy,
reflecting that "Father" might alter his opinion when she had met him
and reported the true state of things. Then he would, of course,
promptly recall his son and heir from a region so fraught with dangers
and temptations as this Province.

Therefore, the parting was effected with less friction than Monty had
anticipated, and he watched the train that bore his too-solicitous
mother out of sight with a delight that, for the present, knew no
regret. He was fully in earnest to "make a man" of himself, and felt
that he would be better able to succeed if freed from the indulgence
which had surrounded him from his cradle.

After allowing himself the relief of one "pigeon-wing" on the
station-platform, he sprang up to the steps at the rear of the hotel
stage which had brought departing guests to the train and hugged Tommy,
perched there, till the little fellow squealed.

"Good enough, Tommy boy! I'm to rough it now to my heart's content. Ever
been hunting or fishing in the woods, younker?"

"Yep. Go most every year--that is, I've been once--with the Boss. He's
the best hunter anywhere's around. It was him got all those moose and
caribou heads that are in the lobby. Oh! you bet it's cracky! I'm going
this fall if--if I'm let, and my mother don't make me go to school."

"Mothers--Well, mothers have a bad way of spoiling a fellow's fun, eh,
lad? But after all, they're a pretty good arrangement. I hope my
mother'll have a good trip over to Boston; and see? Look there?"

With that he pulled from his pocket a handful of silver, explaining that
when she traveled Mrs. Stark always provided herself with a large
quantity of "change" expressly for "tips," and that she had generously
handed the amount on to her son, since she was simply "going home" and
wouldn't need it.

"More in my suit-case, too, Tommy. But--I'm going to give it all away
the minute I get back to the hotel."

Tommy's eyes almost bulged from his head, as he ejaculated in intense
amazement:

"You _never!_"

"Fact. I'm going to begin right now."

Tommy nearly fell off the step. There in his own small hand lay the
greater part of what had been in Montmorency's, but he couldn't believe
in his own good fortune. Despite the tips he received at the hotel--they
were neither many nor generous--master Thomas Ransom was a very