"that my mother received you all as guests for a
considerable time, and I thought I might take the liberty."

"Oh, certainly!" returned Mr. Tarbox, rather abashed. "I am, of course,
ready to give you advice, and my first advice is to seek a lawyer and
let him institute a suit against your stepfather, on speculation. That
is, he gets nothing if he fails, but obtains a commission if he
succeeds. I could myself recommend a reliable man."

"Thank you, sir; but I have no present thought of contesting the will."

"I think you make a mistake. Do I understand that you expect to earn
your own living?"

"I shall try to do so."

"You will find it very difficult. You may expect me to take you into my
own store, but there is no vacancy, and--"

Frank hastily assured Mr. Tarbox that he had no such expectations. He
had no wish to deprive the errand boy of the two dollars a week, which
he probably richly earned.

"Situations in Newark are not easily obtained," proceeded Mr. Tarbox. "I
am willing that you should stay with us a day or two, but I don't think
you will find it worth your while to stay here."

Mr. Tarbox feared that his young relative might expect to find a home
free of charge in his house, and such an arrangement did not suit his
economical ideas. There was no profit in it, but, on the contrary, a
positive loss. Frank read clearly the thoughts of his host, with the
help of what Pliny had told him, and, expressing his thanks very
briefly, announced his intention to go to New York the next morning.

"It may be the best thing you can do!" said Mr. Tarbox, relieved. "New
York opens a much wider field to a boy of enterprise than Newark, and
probably you will pick up something to do."

"It won't be my fault, if I don't," said Frank.

"You have my best wishes," said Mr. Tarbox. "The demands of my family
forbid me offering you any pecuniary assistance, but--"

"I don't stand in need of it, sir. I have money enough to keep me till I
get started in something."

"Really, I am very glad to hear it!"

And there is no doubt that Mr. Tarbox was sincere.

"I wonder how much money he has got?" thought Pliny. "Perhaps he'd lend
me two dollars. I'll ask him, if I have a chance."

Pliny proposed to borrow, not because he needed the money, but because
he liked to levy contributions upon any available party, with a very
faint idea of repaying the same. The money would go to swell his deposit
at the savings bank. It was very c