Your letter duly received. You will find our advance route for
the next ten days enclosed. You can join at any time it suits
your convenience. Your salary will be based upon the value and
extent of services you can render this company. After a trial,
if your ability is not what you represented it to be, your
engagement will be ended without prejudice to you or expense to
this firm.

Respectfully yours,
THAYER AND NOYES,
Per B. L.

P. S. Send your professional name and billing.

Alfred read and re-read the letter and immediately began making
preparations to tempt fate once more. The preparations mostly consisted
in surreptitiously secreting his wearing apparel in the old barn where
Node had labored so long on his great inventions. It was Alfred's
intention to leave home clandestinely. As usual with boys in his frame
of mind he did not dare to trust himself to advise with anyone; like
boys in general, he did not desire advice. Approval was that which he
most craved.

Uniontown was decided upon as the place to join the circus. Alfred felt
the leaving of home and family meant more to him than ever before. At
times he was buoyed up by hopes of success. He would argue with himself
thusly: I have promised to join the show. They need me; they will be
expecting me. This is the opportunity I have been looking for.

Alfred spent all his spare time at home with his mother, sisters and
brothers. His usual haunts in town were forgotten. Family and friends
noted the change and wondered thereat. Lin was unstinted in her praise.
Lin asserted from the wildest, he had become the tamest boy in
Brownsville. "He'll eat out of your hand now," she assured Mrs. Todd.

Mr. Todd jerked out a "huh" as he advised them to keep their eyes on the
"devil ketcher." "He's just sittin' the megs for another outbreak. He's
compilin' some devilment, yer ken bet yer bottom dollar. He kan't fool
me twice."

It was the day previous to Alfred's intended departure. He had been at
home all day. He gave his sled to brother Joe. It was summer and the
steel soles were greased to keep them from rusting. Lin would not permit
Joe to haul it over the floor claiming it would grease everything it
touched.

To brother Bill fell shinny clubs and bats, marbles and a kite. Sister
Lizzie was the recipient of more than a quart of various colored beads
taken from Aunt Lib's Jenny Lind waist. Ida Belle, th