genoof. He dhink more viskey, and
feel goot, and say he find his team and bring back my priches to-morrow,
and it is to-morrow yet, and he not come."

Even the grave uncle of the luckless nephew had to laugh as he thought
of the slim legs pursuing their travels in the short but enormous
"priches" fetched from fatherland.

"How much were your breeches worth?" Lord said, taking out some money.

"I don't know--I don't keeps priches to sell; may pe vun tollar."

Betterson gave the German a dollar, saying,--

"Allow me to pay for them; for, if I mistake not, you will never see the
young man or your breeches again."

He was quite right: the German never did.

Neither--it may as well be said here--did Radcliff's own relatives see
him again for many years. What various adventures were his can only be
surmised, until one of the "Philadelphia partners," settling up his
accounts with the world, left him a legacy of six thousand dollars, when
he once more bloomed out as a fine gentleman, and favored his Western
friends with a visit.

He ran through his little fortune in a few months, and once more
disappeared from view, to turn up again, five or six years later (when
Jack and Vinnie saw him for the last time), as a runner for one of the
great Chicago hotels.

CHAPTER XL.

PEAKSLOW'S HOUSE-RAISING.

"Mercy on me!" said Caroline, hearing an unusual noise in the front part
of the house; "now we are to have the racket of those Peakslow children!
What could you have been thinking of, Lavinia dear? I'm sure _I_ didn't
know what I was saying when I gave _my_ consent to their coming. The
idea of their turning our library into a kitchen! Not that I blame
_you_, Lavinia dear. _I_ ought to have considered."

"Surely you wouldn't have denied the houseless family a shelter?" Vinnie
replied. "That would have seemed too bad, with those great chambers
unoccupied. As for the _library_,"--Vinnie smiled, for the unfurnished
room called by that choice name had nothing in it but a fireplace,--"I
don't think any harm can happen to that."

Vinnie had a plan regarding the Peakslow children, which she laid before
Mrs. Peakslow as soon as the new inmates were fairly settled in the
house.

"Since my sister and the baby have been so much better, I have begun a
little school, with only two scholars,--Cecie and Lilian. Wouldn't your
children like to join it? I think it would be pleasant."

"Whuther they would or not, I'd like to have