pledged to give
her back whenever I can pay him the thirty dollars, with interest."

"I wish you could pay it now, father," said Walter.

"So do I, my boy; but I cannot, unless your brother sends me some
money."

"It is three weeks since we have heard from Tom," said Mrs. Nelson,
anxiously. "I am afraid he is sick."

"Don't worry yourself with imaginary fears, Mary," said her husband.
"Tom may be sick, of course; but he is strong and healthy, and we won't
fear such a thing without some ground. Probably a letter is on the way
from him now."

"I hope he is making money," said Walter. "I wish I were with him."

"I would never consent to have you go too," said Mrs. Nelson, hastily.

"I don't think Walter seriously thinks of asking leave," said Mr.
Nelson, smiling. "As he is only thirteen years old, I should be inclined
to object myself. I must have him at home to help me with the farm."

"I should be perfectly contented to stay at home if we had Whiteface
back," said Walter. "I've a great mind to steal her out of the squire's
yard. I bet she'd be glad to come."

"Don't speak in that way, Walter," said his father. "I dislike to have
you speak of stealing, even in fun."

At this moment there was a knock at the front door. Farmer Nelson's
house was an old-fashioned one, and not provided with a bell.

"Go to the door, Sarah," said her father.

Sarah obeyed.

"Good-evening, Nahum," she said to the village expressman.

"I've got a small package for your folks," said Nahum. "It's marked all
over. Guess it came from Californy."

"It must be from Tom," exclaimed Sarah, in delight.

"That's what I thought," said the expressman, who knew everybody in the
village, and could probably give a fairly correct list of their sisters,
cousins, and aunts, with a fair guess at their worldly circumstances.

"Is there anything to pay, Nahum?"

"Only fifty cents,--the expressage from Boston. Never mind about it now,
for I'm in a hurry. Your father can hand it to me next time he sees me."

"O father, here's a package from Tom," said Sarah, hurrying into the
room where they were all sitting.

"Open it quick," said Walter. "See if there's any money in it."

The cord was cut, and a small box was disclosed containing a hundred
dollars in gold pieces and a line from Tom, stating that he was doing
well, and that he hoped soon to send some more money.

"A hundred dollars! What a lot of money!" exclaimed Walter, gazing on
the lit