et was amazed and he hated to give up the boy who had become
so useful, but after a moment's thought, he said:

"I don't see as I have anything to say about it. He just stopped here
on his way to you, and you've come to him. You'll have to take him if
you want him, though I don't see how under the canopee we'll get along
without him now."

"That is just like you, Follet, straight always," said the other
warmly, and after a little the station-master went back to take the
news to Steve. It startled them all and Mrs. Follet expressed her
great regret in seeing the boy go, but she put his few little
belongings in good order and prepared him to start off "clean and
whole," as she expressed it. Nancy looked on wide-eyed, and Steve got
ready like one in a dream. He wrapped his small bundle of clothes in
the fox skin, which Mr. Polk had asked him to take care of, and went
over to the station.

At four-thirty the train rushed up. Mr. Polk led Steve into a
beautiful plush-seated car and placed the boy where he could have a
last look at his friends, for Mr. and Mrs. Follet and Nancy stood on
the platform.

It was Nancy who held his eyes till the last moment, little Nancy with
two big tears dropping down her cheeks. Steve's throat ached
unaccountably.

VII

A TRIP TO THE CITY

"Here we are," said Mr. Polk, as the train thundered into the
station at Louisville. The ride of four hours had been a continued
kaleidoscopic delight. Steve could not understand how it was that
trees and houses went racing by the car windows and Mr. Polk had
rare enjoyment in the boy's unsophisticated inquiry and comment.

Bringing this boy into the city was like giving sudden sight to a
child who had lived its life in blindness. With keenest pleasure,
Mr. Polk took him into a brilliantly lighted restaurant for supper
and then afterwards up town by trolley into a large furnishing
establishment, for it was Saturday night and the stores were open.
There he fitted the little fellow out from top to toe according to
his liking, the outfit including a shining German silver watch! The
two attracted attention everywhere, the boy's face a study in its
swiftly changing expression and the man full of eager interest which
he could not curb.

When Steve was all dressed and stood before a mirror, Mr. Polk
exclaimed:

"Now, that is something like!" And the boy turning from the
transformed vision of himself, lifted a quivering face to his
benefactor.