how proud he would be!

"Lemme see," said the skinflint, when settling day arrived; "I was to
give you four dollars a month, warn't I?"

"It was six," replied Bush, respectfully.

"That warn't my understanding, but we'll let it go at that; I've allers
been too gin'rous, and my heart's too big for my pocket. Lemme see."

He uttered the last words thoughtfully, as he took his small
account-book from his pocket, and began figuring with the stub of a
pencil. "Three months at six dollars will be eighteen dollars."

"Yes, sir; that's right."

"Don't interrupt me, young man," sternly remarked the farmer, frowning
at him over his spectacles. "The full amount is eighteen
dollars--Kerrect--L--em--m--e see; you have et seven breakfasts here;
at fifty cents apiece that is three dollars and a half. Then,
l--em--m--e see; you was late eleven times, and I've docked you
twenty-five cents for each time; that makes two dollars and
seventy-five cents."

Inasmuch as Bush's wages amounted hardly to twenty-five cents a day, it
must be admitted that this was drawing it rather strong.

"L--em--m--e see," continued Mr. Ashton, wetting the pencil stub
between his lips, and resuming his figuring; "your board amounts to
three dollars and a half; your loss of time to two seventy-five; that
makes six and a quarter, which bein' took from eighteen dollars, leaves
'leven seventy-five. There you are!"

As he spoke, he extended his hand, picked up a small canvas bag from
the top of his old-fashioned writing-desk, and tossed it to the
dumfounded boy. The latter heard the coins inside jingle, as it fell
in his lap, and, as soon as he could command his voice, he swallowed
the lump in his throat, and faintly asked:

"Is that--is that right, Mr. Ashton?"

"Count it and see for yourself," was the curt response.

This was not exactly what Bush meant, but he mechanically unfastened
the cord around the throat of the little bag, tumbled the coins out in
his hat and slowly counted them. They footed up exactly eleven dollars
and seventy-five cents, proving that Mr. Ashton's figuring was
altogether unnecessary, and that he had arranged the business
beforehand.

While Bush was examining the coins, his heart gave a sudden quick
throb. He repressed all signs of the excitement he felt, however.

"How do you find it?" asked the man, who had never removed his eyes
from him, "Them coins have been in the house more'n fifty year--that
is, some of 'e