I would offer it to you."
Harry's heart gave a joyful bound.
"Accept it!" he repeated. "Indeed I will and thank you for your great
kindness."
"Then I will write home at once to have it sent to me. I also have a
suit which I have outgrown; if you wouldn't be too proud to take it."
"I am not so foolish. It will be a great favor."
"I thought you would take it right," said Maurice, well pleased. "I
will also send for the suit. I will get my mother to forward them by
express."
"They will be as good as money to me," said Harry; "and that is not very
plenty with me."
"Will you tell me something of your circumstances? Perhaps I may have it
in my power to help you."
Harry, assured of his friendly interest, did not hesitate to give him
a full account of his plans in life, and especially of his desire
to relieve his father of the burden of poverty. His straightforward
narrative made a very favorable impression upon Maurice, who could not
help reflecting: "How far superior this boy is to Luke Harrison and his
tribe!"
"Thank you for telling me all this," he said. "It was not from mere
curiosity that I asked."
"I am sure of that," said Harry. "Thanks to your generosity, I shall
present a much more respectable appearance, besides being made more
comfortable."
Three days later a large bundle was brought by the village expressman to
Mr. Leavitt's door.
"A bundle for you, Walton," said the expressman, seeing Harry in the
yard.
"What is there to pay?" he asked.
"Nothing. It was prepaid in the city?"
Harry took it up to his room and opened it eagerly. First came the
promised overcoat. It was of very handsome French cloth, with a velvet
collar, and rich silk facings, far higher in cost than any Mr. Merrill
would have made for him. It fitted as if it had been made for him. Next
came, not one, but two complete suits embracing coat, vest and pants.
One of pepper-and-salt cloth, the other a dark blue. These, also,
so similar was he in figure to Maurice, fitted him equally well. The
clothes which he brought with from form Granton were not only of coarse
material but were far from stylish in cut, whereas these garments had
been made by a fashionable Boston tailor and set off his figure to much
greater advantage.
"I wonder what Luke Harrison will say?" said our hero to himself,
smiling, as he thought of the surprise of Luke at witnessing his
transformation.
"I've a great mind to keep these on to-night," he
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