o he is?"

"Of course, but you told me you didn't know."

"I didn't at that time, but I have learned since. If you will spell
the name backwards and put it before your surname, you will have that
of the youth who wrote the articles you admire so much."

The parent did as suggested, and behold! the name thus spelled out was
that of his only son, whose writings he had praised before the young
man's face.

CHAPTER IV.

When the chuckling Tim told his sister the secret as he paused to kiss
her good-night at the head of the stairs, he did not dream that she
would reveal it to their father; but, before he could exact a promise,
she emitted the truth, despite his attempts to place his hand over her
mouth. Then she darted off, and, humiliated and chagrined, he went to
his own room.

But the parent was given more to think about. He was pleasant to both
the next morning at breakfast and made no reference to the matter that
was in the minds of all. Just as the meal was finished, he remarked:

"Tim, the load of stone is ready and we will take it over to Montvale
to-day; wouldn't you like to go with us?"

"Thank you, father; I shall be glad to go."

"All right; as soon as you and Maggie are through with your nonsense,
come out to the wharf and join us."

The method of transporting stone from the Brereton quarries to
Montvale, on the other side of the river, was simple. The canal ran
directly in front of the quarries, and there the boat was loaded with
the heavy freight. It was then drawn by horse through the canal
Denville, several miles to the north, where the waterway touched the
level of the Castaran river. Passing through a lock, the boat was
pulled across the stream by means of a rope, and wheel arrangement (a
heavy dam furnishing comparatively deep and smooth water), when another
lock admitted it to the canal on the opposite side.

The boat, which lay against the bank of the canal near the quarries,
was loaded so heavily that it was brought as low in the water as was
safe. Then a horse was hitched fast, and with Tim driving, and with
Warren and his father and two men on board, the craft began slowly
moving against the sluggish current.

The start was made in the morning, and before the forenoon was half
gone they were at the lower end of Denville, where preparations were
quickly made for crossing the river. The horse was taken on board, the
boat securely fastened by a strong rope at the bow and st