tery. It was a rudely built
raft with a stool upon it, and upon the stool sat a ragged urchin ten or
twelve years of age.

"Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" shouted the six boys in unison.

"Fine rig you have there!" called one.

"What will you take for your ship?" shouted another.

For all response the stranger simply stared.

"Don't hurt his feelings, boys," said Mr. Hobart kindly, "he's getting
enjoyment in his own way, and I suspect that it's the best way he knows
of."

Conscious of impoliteness, the boys subsided, and nothing more was
thought of the stranger for several hours.

About noon, however, as they were resting on the shore, he appeared
before them with an old cigar box in his hand.

"Want some crickets and grasshoppers?" he asked timidly. "I've been
catching them for you, if you want them."

"Yes, they are exactly the things we need," replied Mr. Hobart. "How
much do you want for the lot?"

"Oh, you're welcome to them. I hadn't nothin' else to do."

"Well, that's what I call returning good for evil. Didn't you hear these
chaps laugh at you this morning?"

"Yes, but that's nothin'. I'm used to that sort of thing. Folks has
laughed at me allus."

"Well, we won't laugh at you now. Have some dinner, if you won't have
any pay."

The boy had refused money, but he could not refuse the tempting
sandwiches and cakes which were offered to him. His hungry look appealed
to the hearts of the other boys quite as forcibly as his comical
attitude had before appealed to their sense of the ludicrous.

Now they shared their dinner with him in most hospitable manner.
Fortunately Mrs. Hobart was of a generous disposition, and had provided
an abundance of food. Otherwise the picnic baskets might have given out
with this new demand upon their contents.

"What shall we call you?" said Mr. Hobart to the unexpected guest.

"Sam Smith's my name. I am generally called Sam for short."

"Well, Sam, I think you're right down hungry, and I'm glad you happened
along our way. Where do you live, my boy?"

"I've been a-workin' over there in the farmhouse yonder, but they've got
through with me, and I'm just a-makin' up my mind where to go next."

"Seems to me you're rather young to earn your own living. Have you no
father or mother?"

"Yes, in the city. But they have seven other boys and it's pretty hard
work to get along. I'm the oldest, I am, so I try to turn a penny for
myself. A gentleman got me this place, and paid my