g, which
contained quite a number of telegrams, this time.

Not only were there those on the business of the Mica Company, but Mr.
Darby, the storekeeper at Akeville, thought it necessary to send a
message to Hetertown by the new line, and there were two or three other
private telegrams, that would probably never have been sent had it not
been for the novelty of the thing.

But that rascal, Jim Haskins, did not make his appearance, and when
Harry found that it was not likely that he would come at all, he induced
Aunt Judy to go out and look for some one to carry the telegrams to
Hetertown. Harry had just finished copying the messages--and this took
some time, for he wrote each one of them in official form--when Aunt
Judy returned, bringing with her a telegraphic messenger.

It was Uncle Braddock.

"Here's a man to take yer letters," said Aunt Judy, as she ushered in
the old man.

Harry looked up from his table in surprise.

"Why, Uncle Braddock," said he, "you can't carry these telegrams. I want
a boy, on a mule or a horse, to go as fast as he can."

"Lor' bress ye, Mah'sr Harry," said the old negro, "I kin git along fas'
enough. Aunt Judy said ye wanted Jim, an' Nobleses mule; but dat dar
mule he back hindwards jist about as much as he walks frontwards. I jist
keep right straight along, an' I kin beat dat dar ole mule, all holler.
Jist gim me yer letters, an' I'll tote 'em ober dar fur ten cents. Ye see
I wuz cotched on dis side de creek, an' wuz jist comin ober to see Aunt
Judy, when she telled me ob dis job. I'll tote yer letters, Mah'sr
Harry, fur ten cents fur de bag-full."

"I haven't a bag-full," said Harry; "but I reckon you'll have to take
them. There's nobody else about, it seems, and I can't leave the
station."

So Uncle Braddock was engaged as telegraph-boy, and Harry having
promised him twenty cents to go to Hetertown and to return with any
telegrams that were there awaiting transmission to the other side of the
creek, the old man set off with his little package, in high good humor
with the idea of earning money by no harder work than walking a few
miles.

Shortly after noon, he returned with a few messages from Hetertown, and
by that time there were some for him to carry back. So he made two trips
and forty cents that day--quite an income for Uncle Braddock.

In the evening, Jim Haskins made his appearance with his mule. He said
his brother hadn't told him anything about Harry's wanting him u