te him upon his brave deed. Our young hero was
generally self-possessed, but he hardly knew how to act when he found
himself an object of popular ovation.

"Somebody else would have done it if I hadn't," he said modestly.

"You are the only one who had his wits about him," said Seth Jones.
"No one thought of the rope till you climbed the tree. We were all
looking for a ladder and there was none to be had nearer than Mr.
Parmenter's."

"I wouldn't have thought of it myself if I hadn't read in a daily
paper of something like it," said Ben.

"Ben," said Mr. Crawford, "I'd give a thousand dollars to have done
what you did. You have shown yourself a hero."

"Oh, Ben, how frightened I was when I saw you on the branch just over
the burning building," said a well-known voice.

Turning, Ben saw it was his mother who spoke.

"Well, it's all right now, mother," he said, smiling. "You are not
sorry I did it?"

"Sorry! I am proud of you."

"I am not proud of my hands," said Ben. "Look at them."

They were chafed and bleeding, having been lacerated by his rapid
descent from the tree.

"Come home, Ben, and let me put some salve on them. How they must
pain you!"

"Wait till the fire is all over, mother."

The gallant firemen did all they could, but the store was doomed.
They could only prevent it from extending. In half an hour the engine
was taken back, and Ben went home with his mother.

"It's been rather an exciting evening, mother," said Ben. "I rather
think I shall have to find a new place."

CHAPTER XV
BEN LOSES HIS PLACE

Ben did not find himself immediately out of employment. The next
morning Mr. Crawford commenced the work of ascertaining what articles
he had saved, and storing them. Luckily there was a vacant store
which had once been used for a tailor's shop, but had been unoccupied
for a year or more. This he hired, and at once removed his goods to
it. But he did not display his usual energy. He was a man of over
sixty, and no longer possessed the enterprise and ambition which had
once characterized him. Besides, he was very comfortably off, or
would be when he obtained the insurance money.

"I don't know what I shall do," he said, when questioned. "I was
brought up on a farm, and I always meant to end my days on one.
Perhaps now is as well any time, since my business is broken up."

This came to the ears of Squire Davenport, who was always keen-scented
for a bargain. His wi