towns in the neighborhood. This gratified and encouraged Harry, who
now felt that he was on the right tack.

There was another department to which he devoted considerable
attention. This was a condensed summary of news from all parts of
the world, giving the preference and the largest space, of course, to
American news. He aimed to supply those who did not take a daily
paper with a brief record of events, such as they would not be
likely, otherwise, to hear of. Of course all this work added to his
labors as compositor; and his occasional sketches for Boston papers
absorbed a large share of his time. Indeed, he had very little left
at his disposal for rest and recreation.

"I am afraid you are working too hard, Harry," said Ferguson. "You
are doing Mr. Anderson's work better than he ever did it, and your
own too."

"I enjoy it," said Harry. "I work hard I know, but I feel paid by
the satisfaction of finding that my labors are appreciated."

"When Mr. Anderson gets back, he will find it necessary to employ you
as assistant editor, for it won't do to let the paper get back to its
former dulness."

"I will accept," said Harry, "if he makes the offer. I feel more and
more that I must be an editor."

"You are certainly showing yourself competent for the position."

"I have only made a beginning," said our hero, modestly. "In time I
think I could make a satisfactory paper."

One day, about two months after Mr. Anderson's departure, Ferguson
and Harry were surprised, and not altogether agreeably, by the
entrance of John Clapp and Luke Harrison. They looked far from
prosperous. In fact, both of them were decidedly seedy. Going West
had not effected an improvement in their fortunes.

"Is that you, Clapp?" asked Ferguson. "Where did you come from?"

"From St. Louis."

"Then you didn't feel inclined to stay there?"

"Not I. It's a beastly place. I came near starving."

Clapp would have found any place beastly where a fair day's work was
required for fair wages, and my young readers in St. Louis,
therefore, need not heed his disparaging remarks.

"How was it with you, Luke?" asked Harry. "Do you like the West no
better than Clapp?"

"You don't catch me out there again," said Luke. "It isn't what it's
cracked up to be. We had the hardest work in getting money enough to
get us back."

As Luke did not mention the kind of hard work by which the money was
obtained, I may state here that an evening