all
the rest of us together."

Oscar could not deny these charges, and so he said nothing, but
appeared to be reading his newspaper very intently. Mr. Preston came
in soon after, and the family sat down to tea.

"Oscar," said Mr. Preston, "next week is vacation, is it not?"

"Yes, sir," replied Oscar.

"Well, I shall want you in the store a part of the time," continued his
father. "Frank is going home to spend Thanksgiving, and as it will be
a busy week with us, we must have somebody to take his place."

"Why can't Henry do the errands while Frank is away?" inquired Oscar.

"Because Henry will have as much other work as he can attend to,"
replied Mr. Preston.

"I don't see why you let Frank go off at such a time," said Oscar,
pettishly.

"It is not necessary that you should see," replied his father. "I can
manage my business without any advice from you, and I don't want you to
call me to account for what I do. I have given Frank a vacation, and I
shall expect assistance from you--that is all it is necessary for you
to know about it."

Frank was the errand-boy in Mr. Preston's shop. Henry, upon whom Oscar
wished to lay the burden occasioned by Frank's absence, was a young
clerk, who had formerly served as chore-boy, but was now quite useful
as a salesman.

It was evident, from Oscar's looks, that he did not much relish the
idea of taking Frank's place for a week. His mother, noticing this,
said:

"Why, Oscar, I thought you and Frank were good friends, and I should
suppose you would be willing to relieve him a few days. The poor boy
has been away from his mother nearly a year, and it is natural that he
should want to go home and spend Thanksgiving. If you were in his
place, and he in yours, don't you think you should like the arrangement
your father proposes?"

"I suppose I should," replied Oscar; "but it's hard for me to lose my
vacation, for the sake of letting him have one."

"You will not lose all your vacation," said his father "If you are
lively, you can do all I shall want you to do in four or five hours,
and have the rest of the day to yourself."

"And I 'll help you, too," said Ralph, who was always ready to offer
his assistance in such a case as this.

"Thanksgiving week" soon arrived, and the busy note of preparation for
the approaching festival was heard throughout the house. Bridget was
invested with a new dignity, in the eyes of the children, as she
bustled about among the minc