burntown, Mr. Wecks, the shoe-dealer. He
wants to know which pair of shoes I have decided to keep, and asks me
kindly to return the pair I don't want."

"Well, what of that, Dave?" continued his sister, as the youth paused
with a wrinkle on his forehead. "Can't you make up your mind which
pair of shoes you want to keep?"

"I certainly can not, seeing that I haven't had any shoes from Wecks's
store," returned Dave, with a faint smile. "I haven't been in his
place for nearly a year, and the last time I was there I bought a pair
of rubbers and paid for them."

"Oh, then the letter must be meant for somebody else, Dave. Mr. Wecks
has got his customers mixed."

"Perhaps so. But in the letter he speaks of the two pairs of shoes I
took away with me. That looks as if somebody had gotten two pairs of
shoes in my name."

"Well, as we are going out sleighing this afternoon, why don't you
drive to Coburntown and drop into his shop and explain matters?"
suggested the sister.

"I guess that would be best, Laura." Dave folded up the letter and
placed it in his pocket. "How soon will you be ready?"

"Inside of quarter of an hour."

"And how about Jessie?"

"She was almost ready when I came downstairs."

"Good! Then we can get an early start and have a good long ride
besides stopping at Coburntown, where I suppose you and Jessie can do
a little shopping while I am at Wecks's store."

"That will be fine, Dave! I would like to match some ribbon, and the
only place I can do it is in the French Shop in Coburntown;" and thus
speaking Laura Porter hurried out of the room to get ready for the
sleigh-ride.

Dave had proposed the ride just before lunch, and the young people
living at the Wadsworth mansion had telephoned over to the Basswood
home, asking if Ben Basswood would accompany them.

"Sure I'll go--be glad to!" Dave's former school chum had answered
over the wire. "I haven't a thing to do this afternoon, and a first
sleigh-ride of the season will tickle me to death."

"Oh, I don't want it to kill you, Ben," Dave had answered gaily. "Just
the same, you be ready for us when we come over;" and to this Ben had
agreed.

Although it was still early in the winter, there had been a heavy
fall of snow two days before and now the roads in and around
Crumville were in excellent condition for sleighing. The musical sound
of sleigh-bells could be heard in all directions, and this had made
Dave anxious to get out on the road, even