s, however, soon made it plain that the preference was to be
given to their old employees who had served them well and faithfully
for so many years. Therefore, as fast as the houses were completed,
they were assigned to those who had been longest in the company's
employ and soon the streets of the new village were no longer silent
but teemed with life and the laughter of a happy people. And among
those for whom a charming little abode was reserved were the Turners,
Ted's family.

Then came the tearing down of the temporary bridge of wood and the
opening of the beautiful stone structure that arched the stream. Ah,
what a holiday that was! The mills were closed, there was a band
concert in the little park, dedication exercises, and fireworks in the
evening. And great was Ted's surprise when he spied cut in the stone
the words "Turner's Bridge!" Near the entrance was a modest bronze
tablet stating that the memorial had been constructed in honor of
Theodore Turner who, by his forethought in giving warning of the
freshet of 1912 had saved the village of Freeman's Falls from
inestimable calamity.

How the boy blushed when Mr. Lawrence Fernald mentioned him by name in
the dedication speech! And yet he was pleased, too. And how the people
cheered; and how proud his father and sisters were! Perhaps, however,
the most delighted person of all was Laurie who had been in the secret
all along and who now smiled radiantly to see his friend so honored.

"The townspeople may not go to my library," he laughed, "but every one
of them will use your bridge. They will have to; they can't help it!"

The thought seemed to amuse him vastly and he always referred to the
exquisite granite structure with its triple arch and richly carved
piers of stone as _Ted's Bridge_.

Thus did the year with its varied experiences slip by and when June
came the Fernalds carried Laurie to New York to consult the much
heralded Viennese surgeon. Ah, those were feverish, anxious days, not
only for the Fernald family but for Ted and Mr. Hazen as well. The boy
and the tutor had remained at Pine Lea there to continue their studies
and await the tidings Laurie's father had promised to send them; and
when the ominous yellow telegrams with their momentous messages began
to arrive, they hardly knew whether to greet them with sorrow or
rejoicing.

They need not, however, have dreaded the news for after careful
examination the eminent specialist had decided to take a