to its
owner, Mr. Newbegin Titmouse.

"You young men have worn this wagon quite: a bit," whined Mr.
Titmouse, after he had painstakingly inspected the wagon by the
light of a lantern.

"I think we've brought it back in fine condition, sir," replied
Dick, and he spoke the truth. "The wagon looks better, Mr. Titmouse,
than you had expected to see it."

"You owe me about five dollars for extra wear and tear," insisted
the money-loving Mr. Titmouse.

But he didn't get the money. Again Dick Prescott turned out to
be an excellent business man. Dick was most courteous, but he
refuted all of Mr. Titmouse's claims for extra payment, in the
end even such a money-grubber as Mr. Newbegin Titmouse gave up
the effort to extort more money for the use of his wagon than
was his due. He even used his lantern to light the boys through
the dark side alley to the street where the trolley car ran.

Two or three times after this Dick and his friends heard from
Tom Drake. That young workman never repeated his earlier error.
In time he paid for his home, then began the saving of money
for other purposes. To-day Drake owns his own machine shop and
is highly prosperous.

Old Reuben Hinman lingered many days between life and death.
At last he recovered, and in time was discharged from the hospital.

However, his first attempts to run the peddler's wagon again revealed
the fact that the peddler's days on the road were over. He was
no longer strong enough for the hard outdoor life.

Timothy Hinman and his sisters came forward when the Overseers
of the Poor began to look into the peddler's affairs. These dutiful
children wanted to be sure to obtain whatever might be their share
of their father's belongings.

Timothy and his sisters obtained their full shares---nothing.

The Overseers of the Poor found that they could effect an arrangement
by which the peddler's home, his horse and wagon, stock and good
will could be sold for four thousand dollars.

This was done. With half the money Reuben Hinman was able to
purchase his way into a home for old men. Here he will be maintained,
without further expense, as long as he lives, and he will live
in a degree of comfort amounting, with this simple-minded ex-peddler,
to positive luxury.

The other two thousand dollars, at the suggestion of the Overseers
of the Poor, was spent in buying an annuity from a life insurance
company. This annuity provides ample spending money for Reuben