do," his aunt retorted; "but there
isn't much to hope for."

"Why isn't there?"

"I shouldn't think you'd need to be told. You haven't earned a cent
to-day, and----"

"How do you know I haven't?" demanded Ben, smiling.

"How could you? You were going about this morning after a place,
and this afternoon you have been at a picnic."

"For all that, aunt, I have earned something--more than if I had been
at the factory."

Mrs. Bradford stared at Ben in astonishment.

"How much did you earn, Ben?" asked Tony.

"Haven't I done well enough to earn a dollar, Tony?"

Mrs. Bradford's face assumed a more cheerful look, for a dollar in
that little household would go far.

"I don't see how you found time to earn so much, Benjamin," she said.

"Now, just suppose, aunt, that I earned two dollars," said Ben, with a
merry twinkle in his eyes.

This was too much for his aunt to believe.

"If supposing would make it so, I should be very glad to suppose;
but it won't."

"But it's true, aunt."

"I can't believe it, Benjamin, unless you've found the money
somewhere, and then you will have to return it."

"No, I earned it, Aunt Jane, and it's mine fairly."

"I am glad to hear it, Benjamin. Is there any chance to earn any
more the same way?"

"I am afraid not, Aunt Jane. However, I've done even better than I
told you. I've earned ten dollars this afternoon."

"Benjamin Bradford!" said his aunt sharply. "Do you expect me to
believe such a foolish story as that?"

Ben laughed, He was not surprised at his aunt's incredulity; he
wouldn't have believed that morning that there was any chance of his
making so much money.

"I don't know as I blame you, Aunt Jane; but if you won't believe
me, perhaps you'll believe your own eyes," answered Ben, as he
drew forth the two five-dollar bills from his pocket, and showed
them to Mrs. Bradford.

"Are they good?" she asked suspiciously.

"As good as gold, Aunt Jane; well, not exactly as good as gold, but
as good as greenbacks, anyway."

"I can't understand it at all," said Mrs. Bradford, in helpless
bewilderment.

"Then I'll tell you all about it," said Ben; and he did so.

"I shall have a high opinion of my legs from this time," he concluded,
"for they have earned ten dollars in quicker time than my hands can
earn twenty-five cents."

Even his aunt, in spite of her despondent mood, could not help being
cheerful over such good fortune as that.

"You see, Aunt Jane,