elf," replied
Allan Dilke. "I want no portion of it, and I will provide for this brave
boy whether he be my son or not."

From this day onward the recovery of Allan Dilke was rapid, and, after
the body of Captain Dilke had been consigned to the earth, Martin
produced proofs of Arno's true identity, which fully satisfied the happy
father and mother that their little family circle was complete.

Martin was allowed to go free, and, in company with Judith, who was
exceedingly loth to part with Arno, betook himself to Grand Manan
Island, where he resides to this day, a reformed, repentant man.

[THE END.]

A FLOCK OF GEESE.

by W. BERT FOSTER.

[Illustration]

"That Al Peck thinks he's _so_ smart," remarked Nat Bascom, coming into
the kitchen with a scowl of fearful proportions darkening his face.
"Just because he's got a flock of geese, and expects to make some money
on them Christmas. I wish I had some geese--or something, father. I'd
like to make some money as well as Al."

Mr. Bascom looked up from the county paper, in which he had been reading
a political article, and said, curtly:

"_You_ make money, Nat! You haven't a money-making bone in your body.
Wish you had. Last spring I gave you that plot of ground back of the
orchard to plant, and you let it grow up to weeds; and, a year ago, you
had that cosset lamb, and let the animal die. 'Most any other boy around
these parts would have made quite a little sum on either of them."

"Oh, well, the weeds got the start of me on that ground, and you know
that lamb was weakly. Ma said it was," whined Nat.

"It was after you had the care of it," reminded the elder Bascom.

"Well, pa, can't I have some geese, same as Al Peck has?" at last
inquired Nat, desperately.

"You may if you can catch them," answered his father, smiling grimly.
"If you can trap a flock of wild ones, I reckon you can have them. I
ain't going to waste any more money on your ventures."

Nat flung out of the house in anything but a pleasant frame of mind and
went over to stare longingly at Alvin Peck's flock of geese, securely
penned behind his father's barn.

Until recently, the two boys, who were about of an age, had been the
best of friends. But within a fortnight, Alvin's father had presented
his son with a flock of thirteen geese, to fatten for market, and Al
had, in Nat's eyes, put on the airs of a millionaire.

Alvin Peck may ha