ouldn't cost a fortune, and I've
got that hundred dollars in gold to fall back on, besides my regular
savings."

"You might learn something to your advantage," came from Mr. Talmadge.
"I think it would be money well spent."

"Father, can't I go with Joe?" asked Ned.

"No, Ned, you must attend to your school duties."

"Then, Joe, you must send me full particulars by mail," said the rich
boy.

"Of course I'll do that, Ned," replied our hero.

It was arranged that Joe should leave Riverside on Monday and Ned went
to the depot to see him off.

"I wish you the best of luck, Joe!" called out Ned, as the train left
the station. "I don't know of a fellow who deserves better luck than you
do!"

CHAPTER XXV.

JOE VISITS CHICAGO.

Joe found Millville a sleepy town of three or four hundred inhabitants.
There was one main street containing two blocks of stores, a blacksmith
shop, a creamery and two churches.

When he stepped off the train our hero was eyed sharply by the loungers
about the platform.

"Anything I can' do for you?" asked one of the men, the driver of the
local stage.

"Will you tell me where Mr. Joseph Korn lives?"

"Joe lives up in the brown house yonder. But he ain't home now. He's
doing a job of carpentering."

"Can you tell me where?"

"Up to the Widow Fallow's place. Take you there for ten cents."

"Very well," and our hero jumped into the rickety turnout which went by
the name of the Millville stage.

The drive was not a long one and soon they came to a halt in front of
a residence where a man wearing a carpenter's apron was mending a
broken-down porch.

"There's Joe," said the stage driver, laconically.

The man looked up in wonder when Joe approached him. He dropped his
hammer and stood with his arms on his hips.

"This is Mr. Joseph Korn, I believe?"

"That's me, young man."

"I am Joe Bodley. You wrote to Mr. Talmadge, of Riverside, a few days
ago. I came on to find out what I could about a Mr. William A. Bodley
who used to live here."

"Oh, yes! Well, young man, I can't tell you much more 'n I did in that
letter. Bodley sold out, house, goods and everything, and left for parts
unknown."

"Did he have any relatives around here?"

"Not when he left. He had a wife and three children--a girl and two
boys--but they died."

"Did you ever hear of any relatives coming to see him--a man named Hiram
Bodley?"

"Not me--but Augustus Greggs--who bought his farm--might kno