I hope Uncle Ben doesn't think of changing his young tutor with his good fortune ?" "No, sir," returned Rupert brightening; "he promises to take me to Sacramento with him as his private secretary or confidential clerk, you know, ef--ef"-- he hesitated again with very un-Rupert-like caution, "ef things go as he wants 'em." He stopped awkwardly and his brown eyes became clouded.

"Like ez not, Mr.Ford, he's only foolin' me--and--HIMSELF." The boy's eyes sought the master's curiously.
"I don't know about that," returned Mr.Ford uneasily, with a certain recollection of Uncle Ben's triumph over his own incredulity; "he surely hasn't shown himself a fool or a boaster so far.

I consider your prospect a very fair one, and I wish you joy of it, my boy." He ran his fingers through Rupert's curls in his old caressing fashion, the more tenderly perhaps that he fancied he still saw symptoms of stormy and wet weather in the boy's brown eyes.

"Run along home, both of you, and don't worry yourselves about me." He turned away, but had scarcely proceeded half a dozen yards before he felt a tug at his coat.

Looking down he saw the diminutive Johnny.
"They'll be comin' home thith way," he said, reaching up in a hoarse confidential whisper.
"Who ?" "Crethy and 'im." But before the master could make any response to this presumably gratifying information, Johnny had rejoined his brother.