un thrilled Bob with pleasure. It meant the sweeping aside of
the last film of distrust and the restoration of the old man's former
confidence and friendship. For days Willie had slowly been reaching
the conviction that if fraud had been practised Tiny's nephew had been
only an innocent party to it--the tool of more designing hands. How
was the lad to know he was being so artfully made use of? And anyway,
perhaps there may have been no conspiracy at all. Might not Janoah
have been mistaken about Snelling raiding the workshop? Why, a score
of reasons might have brought him there! He might have left behind him
something he needed; or there might have been something he wanted to
do. It was absurd to accuse him of a secret and deliberately planned
visit.

Willie was a simple, single-minded soul and now that Janoah and his
malicious influence had been removed, he dropped comfortably back into
a tranquillity from which, when viewed in perspective, his former
suspicions seemed both unjust and ridiculous. Suppose Mr. Galbraith
did happen to be a boat-builder? Was he not Bob's friend and Delight's
uncle, a gentleman of honor who had money enough without stooping to
secure more by treachery? And did it not follow that since Mr.
Snelling was in his employ he must be a person of reputable character?
A fig for Janoah Spence's accusations!

Willie blew a contemptuous whiff of smoke into the air. How had he
ever dropped to being so base as to credit them for an instant? He was
ashamed for having done so.

Therefore whole-heartedly he gave his hand to Robert Morton, and if the
act were a mute petition for forgiveness it was none the less sincere
in its intent and was met with an equal spirit of good will.

"I suppose now that everything is complete, there is no reason why we
can't present the thing to Zenas Henry right away, is there?"
questioned Bob, who with hands thrust deep in his trousers' pockets
contemplated with satisfaction the product of their joint toil.

"Not the least in the world," Willie answered. "If we was to keep it
here a week there ain't nothin' more we could do to it, an' since
you've tried it out over at Galbraith's we know it works."

"Oh, it works all right!" laughed Bob.

The eyes of the little inventor softened and into them crept a glint of
pensiveness.

"Yes," he repeated, "we can deliver it up to Zenas Henry 'most anytime
now." He paused. "Queer, ain't it, how kinder attached you ge