?" questioned Ishmael, in sad amazement.

"Yes; because you know, I must have my own little profit on it."

"Oh, I see; yes, to be sure," assented Ishmael, with a sigh.

But to part with his treasure and get no more than that! It was like
Esau selling his birthright for a mess of pottage.

However, the poor cannot argue with the prosperous. The bargain was soon
struck. The book was sold and the boy received his dollar. And then the
dealer, feeling a twinge of conscience, gave him a dime in addition.

"Thank you, sir; I will take this out in paper and wafers, if you
please. I want some particularly," said Ishmael.

Having received a half dozen sheets of paper and a small box of wafers,
the lad asked the loan of pen and ink; and then, standing at the
counter, he wrote a dozen circulars as follows:

FOUND, A POCKET-BOOK.

On the Baymouth Turnpike Road, on Friday morning, I picked up a
pocketbook, which the owner can have by coming to me at the Hill
Hut and proving his property.

Ishmael Worth.

Having finished these, he thanked the bookseller and left the shop,
saying to himself:

"I won't keep that about me much longer to be a constant temptation and
cross."

He first went and bought a quarter of a pound of tea, a pound of sugar,
and a bag of meal from Nutt's general shop for Hannah; and leaving them
there until he should have got through his work, he went around the
village and wafered up his twelve posters at various conspicuous points
on fences, walls, pumps, trees, etc.

Then he called for his provisions, and set out on his long walk home.

CHAPTER XXIV.

CLAUDIA TO THE RESCUE.

Let me not now ungenerously condemn
My few good deeds on impulse--half unwise
And scarce approved by reason's colder eyes;
I will not blame, nor weakly blush for them;
The feelings and the actions then stood right;
And if regret, for half a moment sighs
That worldly wisdom in its keener sight
Had ordered matters so and so, my heart,
Still, in its fervor loves a warmer part
Than Prudence wots of; while my faithful mind,
Heart's consort, also praises her for this;
And on our conscience little load I find
If sometimes we have helped another's bliss,
At some small cost of selfish loss behind.

--_M.F. Tupper_.

As Ishmael left the village by the eastern arm of the road a gay
sleighing party dashed into it from the western one. Horses prancing,
be