declined the offer.

"I'll stay here, and begin the hunt again the first thing in the
morning," he said.

"Well, if you want anything, come and see me, Joe; won't you?"

"I will, Ned."

Ned had come over in his own boat and now Joe walked down to the lake
with him. His friend gone, the hermit's boy returned to the dilapidated
cabin.

He was hungry but he had no heart to eat. He munched some bread and
cheese which a neighbor had brought over. He felt utterly alone in the
great worlds and when he thought of this a strange feeling came over
him.

It was a bitter night for the poor boy, but when morning came his mind
was made up. He would make his own way in the world, asking aid from no
one, not even Ned.

"And if I can't find the blue box I'll get along without it," he told
himself.

As soon as it was light he procured breakfast and then started on
another hunt for the missing box. The entire day was spent in the
search, but without results. Towards night, Joe went down to the lake.
Here he caught a couple of small fish, which he fried for his supper.

All told, Joe had exactly a dollar and a half of his own and nine
dollars which he had found in the hermit's pocketbook.

"Ten dollars and a half," he mused, as he counted the amount over. "Not
very much to go out into the world with. If I want to do anything in
town I'll have to buy some clothes."

From this it will be surmised that Joe was thinking of giving up his
roving life around the lake and mountains, and this was true.

Hunting and fishing appealed to him only in an uncertain way, and he
longed to go forth into the busy world and make something of himself.

He had two suits of clothing, but both were very much worn, and so were
his shoes and his cap. Hiram Bodley had left some old clothing, but they
were too big for the boy.

"I guess I'll get Jasok the peddler to come up here and make me an offer
for what is here," he told himself.

Jasok was a Hebrew peddler who drove around through the lake region,
selling tinware and doing all sorts of trading. It was time for him to
visit that neighborhood and Joe went to the nearest house on the main
road and asked about the man.

"He will most likely be along to-morrow, Joe," said the neighbor.

"If he comes, Mr. Smith, will you send him over to my place? Tell him I
want an offer for the things."

"Going to sell out, Joe?"

"Yes, sir."

"What are you going to do after that?"

"Try for some job in