you have
even a little."

"I am thankful, mother," replied Ralph.

"In distributing the circulars you may be able to hear of some opening,"
she went on. "Although you must not waste Mr. Dunham's time in hunting it
up."

"If I waste any time I will make it up to him. I believe in working on the
square, no matter what I do," rejoined Ralph, flatly.

"That is right, my son; treat every person with whom you have dealings
honestly, and you are bound to succeed in life."

During the evening Ralph told his mother of Percy Paget's mishap at the
dock. She shook her head sadly.

"He is a headstrong boy, and I am sorry he comes so often in your path,"
she said. "He will be more down on you now than ever."

"I shall watch out for him," returned Ralph. "He shall not cause me more
trouble, if I can help it."

CHAPTER XVII.

A MIDNIGHT CRIME.

On the following morning, bright and early, Ralph started out to distribute
Mr. Dunham's circulars. He carried the bulk of them in a canvas bag over
his shoulder, and took his lunch with him, in case he was not near home
during the noon hour.

After leaving a circular at each of a dozen cottages, he came to the
stores.

"Hallo, in a new business, eh?" remarked Uriah Dicks as he placed one of
the bills on the latter's front counter.

"Yes, sir."

"I guess that don't pay much," sniffed Uriah.

"It pays better than nothing," laughed Ralph.

"You might better have come here to work for me."

"That is a matter of opinion, Mr. Dicks."

"No, it hain't; it's the truth," grumbled the storekeeper. "How long is
that makeshift job goin' to last?"

"A week."

"Exactly! an' then you'll be out again."

"Perhaps something else will turn up in the meantime."

"'Tain't likely. A job in the store would be more respectable than carting
around sech trash, which everybody sticks in the fire soon as they get
'em."

The truth was that Uriah was hard pressed for help, his son having gone
away on a business trip to Chambersburgh and New York. He had tried to get
a boy in vain, all of those in the village knowing his mean ways too well
to undertake to work for him.

"This is honest work, and that's enough for me," said Ralph. "I am not
ashamed of it."

"Well, suit yourself. Only I won't hold my offer to you open long," warned
Uriah.

"Don't hold it open at all, if you can get any one else," said Ralph, and,
fearing he was wasting his employer's time, he hurried off to the next