pay for regular lodging," and again the boy from the farm
hung his head.

"Well, I'll do the paying."

"Will you?" Fred's face brightened. "Say, Nat, you're real good! I'm
sorry I treated you so meanly when you paid us a visit."

"We'll let that pass. Now, you are here, the question is, what are you
going to do?"

"Can't I find a job? I'm willing to do anything."

"We'll see about that."

They walked to Mrs. Talcott's place, and here Nat explained the
situation, and Fred was placed in a room that chanced to be vacant. He
was exceedingly tired and dropped to sleep almost instantly.

"I'm going to telegraph to Brookville that you are here and safe," said
Nat, the next morning. "I don't want your mother to worry about you."
And the telegram was sent off before our hero went to the office. Nat
gave Fred a dollar, and told him to try his best that day to find
something to do.

"I'll get something," said Fred, but that night he came back greatly
disheartened.

"I couldn't get a thing," he declared. "I tried about fifty places. In
one place a man kicked me out, and in another place a lot of boys called
me 'Hayseed,' and threw lumps of dirt at me. I--I guess I'll go back to
the farm."

"Don't you want to try it for another day?" asked Nat. "I'll pay your
way." He knew the experience would do Fred good. The boy from the
country consented; but at night he returned more discouraged than ever.

"I was a big fool to leave the farm," he sighed. "The city is no place
for me. The noise makes my head ache, and I get lost every time I turn a
corner. I wish I was back to Brookville."

"Very well, you shall start back to-morrow," answered Nat.

"But I ain't got the carfare, and I hate to try riding on the freight
cars again."

"I'll get you a railroad ticket," answered Nat, and he did so, and also
gave Fred some change for his meals. Fred was more than thankful, and
actually cried on parting.

"You're the best boy in the world, Nat," he sobbed. "The very best! Just
wait till you come back to the farm! I'll show you how I can treat
you!" And then he was off for home, a sadder but a wiser youth.

"To go back to the farm was the best thing that fellow could do," was
Dick's comment. "Why, he wouldn't amount to shucks here, even if he
stayed a year."

"We can't all be city folks," said Mrs. Talcott. "Some men must remain
farmers."

"The trouble with Fred is, he doesn't like to work," said Nat. "But this
may teach him a