t, and how you were taking my place at home and paying for things
while I was sick. He screwed it all out of me! He inquired just how much
we paid for our rooms, and what I earned, and how long I had been in the
beamhouse. Then he asked what Father's name was, and what Mother's
family name was before she was married; and strangest of all, he wanted
to know if we came from Orinville, Tennessee. That was my mother's old
home, but I don't see how Mr. Coddington knew it, do you? Goodness,
Peter! He shot off questions as if they were coming out of a gun. Then
he began to ask about you and where you lived, and who your people were.
Doesn't it seem funny, Pete--well as I know you I couldn't tell him one
of those things? So I just said that I didn't know, but that Peter
Strong was the finest fellow in the world, and he seemed to agree with
me. Afterward he went away. What ever do you suppose made him come?"

"I don't know," Peter replied thoughtfully.

All the way home Peter pondered on the marvel. How had his father found
out about his friendship for Nat? It must have been Bryant who had told;
nobody else knew. Bryant had overheard Nat's conversation the day he had
been taken to the hospital, and Bryant must have acquainted Mr.
Coddington with the whole affair. Well, it was better so. His father now
had the facts, and had them direct from Nat himself. Peter would be
divulging no confidence if he mentioned them.

During the next few days many a surprise awaited Peter Strong. When he
went to pay Mrs. Jackson's weekly rent he was told by the landlord that
the account had already been settled, and the rent paid three months in
advance. A gentleman had paid it. No, the landlord did not know who it
was. In addition to this good fortune Mrs. Jackson astonished the boy
still further by dangling before his gaze a substantial check which she
said had come from the Coddington Company with a kind note of sympathy.
The check was to be used for defraying expenses during the illness of
her son.

Peter had no difficulty in guessing the source of this generosity.

Nor was this all. Nat scrawled him an incoherent note that bubbled with
delight; he had been promoted to the finishing department, and
henceforth was to receive a much larger salary!

That night Peter went home a very happy boy. It seemed as if there was
not room for any more good things to be packed into a single day; but
when at evening a crate came marked with his name, and o