me I carried in my pocket, and straightway I pulled it out
and after a moment's search found the passage I wanted.

"Listen," I said, "to what this old Roman philosopher said"--and I held
the book up to the lamp and read aloud:

"'You can be invincible if you enter into no contest in which it is
not in your power to conquer. Take care, then, when you observe a man
honoured before others or possessed of great power, or highly esteemed
for any reason, not to suppose him happy and be not carried away by the
appearance. For if the nature of the good is in our power, neither envy
nor jealousy will have a place in us. But you yourself will not wish to
be a general or a senator or consul, but a free man, and there is only
one way to do this, to care not for the things which are not in our
power.'"

"That," said Mr. Stanley, "is exactly what I've always said, but I
didn't know it was in any book. I always said I didn't want to be a
senator or a legislator, or any other sort of office-holder. It's good
enough for me right here on this farm."

At that moment I glanced down into Ben's shining eyes.

"But I want to be a senator or--something--when I grow up," he said
eagerly.

At this the older brother, who was sitting not far off, broke into a
laugh, and the boy, who for a moment had been drawn out of his reserve,
shrank back again and coloured to the hair.

"Well, Ben," said I, putting my hand on his knee, "don't you let
anything stop you. I'll back you up; I'll vote for you."

After breakfast the next morning Mr. Stanley drew me aside and said:

"Now I want to pay you for your help yesterday and the day before."

"No," I said. "I've had more than value received. You've taken me in
like a friend and brother. I've enjoyed it."

So Mrs. Stanley half filled my knapsack with the finest luncheon I've
seen in many a day, and thus, with as pleasant a farewell as if I'd
been a near relative, I set off up the country road. I was a little
distressed in parting to see nothing of the boy Ben, for I had formed a
genuine liking for him, but upon reaching a clump of trees which hid
the house from the road I saw him standing in the moist grass of a fence
corner.

"I want to say good-bye," he said in the gruff voice of embarrassment.

"Ben," I said, "I missed you, and I'd have hated to go off without
seeing you again. Walk a bit with me."

So we walked side by side, talking quietly and when at last I shook his
hand I said:

"Be