the
dam. Yes, and his _heart_ spoke, too, as well as his _head_. More
sincere and honest words never dropped from his lips.

A new light dawned on that youth's mind, that evening. From the moment
that he uttered the resolution that he would "be somebody," he labored
to gather a large harvest of knowledge; to be something more than a
mere cipher in the world; to act his part well.

"And did he succeed?" you are ready to ask. I should have to get ahead
of my story to answer the question. But one thing I will say here:
that if a boy makes up his mind, deliberately and firmly, that he will
climb up to some high point on the hill of science, and that he will
be respected and honored among his fellows--if he brings his hands,
and his head, and his heart to the task, and goes ahead, through thick
and thin, not turning out of his path, however he may be tempted to do
so, he is almost sure to succeed in reaching what he aims at; that
is, if his life is spared and his health does not give out. I have
great faith in a strong will, a clear head, right principles, a good
stock of patience, and a steady disposition to go ahead. Some boys,
when you talk to them about doing something and being something,
always throw a bucket of cold water over you by saying, "There are so
many difficulties," or, "If I were only in such a boy's place!" Well,
you may always be sure that such cowards will never do anything or be
anything worth mentioning; for it is not very common for people to
accomplish much by _accident_, and these little chaps, should they
ever succeed at all, would have to blunder into their success.

After hearing this anecdote of Samuel, you will not wonder that, some
years after this resolution was made, when he heard of his father's
loss, he played the part of a hero. I will tell you about that in
another chapter.

[Illustration: "WHAT WILL BECOME OF YOU?"]

CHAP. VII.

A TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE.

"Samuel," said his father, a few days after he learned that he was a
bankrupt, "I don't know what is to become of you. I've lost all the
property I had. I'm not worth a red cent."

"I guess I can take care of myself, father," said the lad. "Don't
worry about that."

"Why, what can you do, Samuel?"

"Not much of anything now, I suppose--anything which will put dollars
and cents into my pocket--but I can learn, if I can get a chance."

"And what would you like to do for a living?"

"There are a good many things