n't see why
I should go. Poor Julia! She may die, and I shall never see her again.
I must go."

It did not require a great deal of deliberation to convince himself
that it was his duty to visit the sick girl. She had been a true
friend to him, and he could afford to sacrifice his place to procure
her even a slight gratification. Affection and duty called him one
way, self-interest the other. If he did not go, he should regret it as
long as he lived. Perhaps Mr. Wake would take him again on his
return; if not, he could at least go to work in the stable again.

"Edward, I am going to Rockville to-morrow," he remarked to his
"chum," on his return to Mrs. Flint's.

"The old man agreed to it, then? I thought he wouldn't. He never will
let a fellow off even for a day."

"He did not; but I must go."

"Better not, then. He will discharge you, for he is a hard nut."

"I must go," repeated Harry, taking a candle, and going up to their
chamber.

"You have got more spunk than I gave you credit for; but you are sure
of losing your place," replied Edward, following him upstairs.

"I can't help it."

Harry opened a drawer in the old broken bureau in the room, and from
beneath his clothes took out the great pill box which served him for a
savings bank.

"You have got lots of money," remarked Edward, as he glanced at the
contents of the box.

"Not much; only twelve dollars," replied Harry, taking out three of
them to pay his expenses to Rockville.

"You won't leave that box there, will you, while you are gone?"

"Why not?"

"Somebody may steal it."

"I guess not. I can hide it, though, before I go."

"Better do so."

Harry took his money and went to a bookstore in Washington Street,
where he purchased an appropriate present for Julia, for which he gave
half a dollar. On his return, he wrote her name in it, with his own as
the giver. Then the safety of his money came up for consideration; and
this matter was settled by raising a loose board in the floor and
depositing the pill box in a secure place. He had scarcely done so
before Edward joined him.

Our hero did not sleep much that night. He was not altogether
satisfied with the step he was about to take. It was not doing right
by his employers; but he compromised the matter in part by engaging
Edward, "for a consideration," to make the fires and sweep out the
next morning.

At noon, on the following day, he reached Rockville, and hastened to
the house of Mr.