of Buck, who would carry it
to his father; because, I guess every little thing about the Fentons is
of _some_ interest up there at the big house."

"Fred, if you make up your mind to be a lawyer, I think you have a
future ahead of you," declared his father, proudly; "because your
reasoning powers are first-class. But the chances of the post office
clerk mentioning the fact now are so remote, that we need not give it a
thought."

The evening that followed was one of the happiest the Fentons had known
for a long time. There was much to talk about, and a spirit of coming
joy seemed to pervade the very atmosphere of that humble cottage home,
that certainly never brooded over the much more pretentious
establishment of Sparks Lemington.

And when, rather later than usual, Fred went up to his small room close
under the rafters, where rainy nights he could listen to the patter of
the drops on the roof just over his head, he believed that he must be
the happiest boy in all Riverport.

And in his new found joy his thoughts turned to the chum who was
worrying so much over his troubles; so that Fred resolved on the morrow
to try and do something to help poor Bristles Carpenter.

CHAPTER XII

BRISTLES HAS AN IDEA

The following morning, as Fred was tinkering around, fixing up some of
his traps, he heard the whistle of one of his chums outside. Poking his
head out of the window, and wondering why, if it should be Sid, he did
not come upstairs without any knocking at the door, he saw to his
surprise that it was Bristles.

"Hello! Fred! Can I climb up, or will you come down here?" the latter
called out.

"Walk right into my parlor, said the spider to the fly," replied Fred,
being in rare good humor himself, and wishing he could do something to
help Bristles.

The other boy soon made his appearance in Fred's little den of a room;
which, however, was mighty comfortable, and as neat as wax. Mrs. Fenton
was a good housekeeper, and she had always trained her children to
never leave things "at sixes and sevens," as she termed it.

Fred saw that Bristles was considerably excited over something or
other. And of course the chances were that it must concern his own
personal affairs. Having made a confidant of Fred, and gained more or
less benefit because of his sympathy and advice, Bristles was rushing
over the first thing with further news.

"You look worked up, Bristles," Fred remarked, as the other threw his
cap on th