ntil
that afternoon. Notwithstanding Uncle Braddock's discouraging account of
the mule, Jim was engaged as messenger during the time that the creek
should be up, and Uncle Braddock was promised a job whenever an
important message should come during Jim's absence.

The next day it rained, and the creek was up, altogether, for five days.
During this time the telegraph company did a good deal of paying
business. Harry remained at his station, and boarded and lodged with
Aunt Judy. He frequently sent messages to his father and mother and
Kate, and never failed, from an early hour in the morning until dark, to
find the faithful Harvey at his post.

At last the creek "fell," and the bridge became again passable to Miles
and his waddling horse. The operators disconnected their wires, put
their apparatus in order, locked the wooden cases over their
instruments, and rode in triumph (Mr. Loudon had come in the buggy for
Harry) to Akeville.

Harry was received with open arms by his mother and Kate; and Mrs.
Loudon declared that this should be the last time that he should go on
such an expedition.

She was right.

The next afternoon there was a meeting of the Board of Managers of the
Crooked Creek Telegraph Company, and the Secretary, having been hard at
work all the morning, with the assistance of the Treasurer and the
President, made a report of the financial results of the recent five
days' working of the company's line.

It is not necessary to go into particulars, but when the sums due the
company from the Mica Company and sundry private individuals had been
set down on the one side, and the amounts due from the telegraph company
to Aunt Judy for candles and board and lodging for one operator; to
Uncle Braddock and Jim Haskins for services as messengers; to Hiram
Anderson for damages to boat (found near the river, stuck fast among
some fallen timber, with one end badly battered by floating logs), and
for certain extras in the way of additional stationery, etc., which it
had become necessary to procure from Hetertown, had been set down on the
other side, and the difference between the sums total had been
calculated, it was found, and duly reported, that the company had made
six dollars and fifty-three cents.

This was not very encouraging. It was seldom that the creek was up more
than five days at a time, and so this was a very favorable opportunity
of testing the value of the line as a money-making concern.

It was u