added his father.

"I am sure it will suit me," said the boy. "I know the kind of a man
Mr. Shalley is. We'll be sure to get along."

Randy left home early in the morning and half an hour later was on the
stage, bound for Leeville, where he was to take the train for
Tarrytown, which is directly across the Hudson River from Nyack. His
going away was done so quietly that not a dozen persons knew of his
departure. The stage was but half filled, so he had plenty of room both
for himself and his valise.

Arriving at Leeville he had an hour to wait for the train and spent the
time in walking around the little town.

He had just passed one of the largest stores when he felt a hand on his
shoulder and turned, to find himself confronted by Bob Bangs.

"What are you doing here?" demanded the big boy, rather impudently.

"What business is that of yours?" retorted Randy, not liking the manner
in which he had been addressed.

"Oh, you needn't answer if you don't want to," sniffed Bob Bangs.

"I am going to Nyack."

"To Nyack? What for?"

"I am going to work for a steamboat owner."

"Humph! Going to work on the river?"

"Yes."

"Cabin boy, I suppose," sneered the rich boy.

"No, as a deckhand."

"I thought so. It's a dirty enough job, and you are welcome to it."

"It's honest work, and the money is clean," answered Randy, warmly.

"Ha! What do you mean by clean money," demanded the big boy,
suspiciously.

"Just what I said."

"Maybe you are trying to help spread that report that the Bartletts
started about us," said the rich youth.

"What report do you mean, Bob?"

"You know well enough--the one about my father."

"I don't know."

"Ain't the Bartletts telling everybody that my father shoved 'em out of
the iron works and that our money wasn't clean?"

"I haven't heard it."

"Bah! You needn't play the innocent. I know you, and I know Jack
Bartlett, too."

"I don't think your folks treated the Bartletts just right," went on
our hero, resolved to stand up for his friends.

"We treated 'em better than they deserved. If I had been my father I
should have kicked old man Bartlett out."

"Your father wouldn't have dared, Bob Bangs. But I am not going to
quarrel with you. What brings you to this place?"

"That's my business."

"You needn't tell me if you don't wish to."

"I am here to get a new horse. I am going to ride horseback after
this," went on the rich boy, boastfully. "It's a horse that costs f