"I haven't
forgotten how he treated me."

"His aunt will have nothing more to do with him. He has got to support
himself."

"I hope it makes a man of him," said our hero.

The next three weeks were busy ones for Nat. He had to appear against
Nick Smithers, who was brought to New York, tried, and sentenced to
several years in prison. It was found that there was money coming to the
swindler, and through this our hero and the others who had put up their
money for positions with "Hamilton Dart," received what was coming to
them.

"It was great of you to run him down," said the sick man to Nat. "This
return of money will please my sister."

"And I am thankful too," added Harry Bray.

The day after Nick Smithers was convicted the deal concerning the
property near Central Park was closed. It was shown that a part of the
property really belonged to Nat, and the sum of sixty thousand dollars
was eventually turned over to the youth for this. But this was not
until he was of age.

"Nat's a rich man now," said Abner Balberry, when the youth became
twenty-one. "He's got a reg'lar fortune."

"You shall have something of this, Uncle Abner," said our hero, and he
gave his uncle five thousand dollars in cash. He also gave the same
amount to John Garwell.

In the meantime our hero had stuck close to the real-estate business,
and learned it thoroughly. He was still John Garwell's private clerk.

"Are you going to leave me, now you have your fortune?" questioned the
real estate broker, anxiously.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No, indeed!"

"How would you like to take me in as a partner, Mr. Garwell?"

"I'd like it first-rate, Nat--in fact, I was going to mention that
myself."

"Then let us form a partnership," and this was done without delay. The
new firm, prospered from the very start, much to the satisfaction of all
concerned.

In the meantime, Nat did not forget his old friends the Talcotts.
Although he no longer lived with them, he visited them often. He
learned through the widow that her son was anxious to buy out the store
in which he worked. The price was twelve hundred dollars, and one day
Nat bought it, and had the transfer made out in Dick's name.

"You deserve this, Dick," said he. "When I was a stranger and mighty
green you did your best by me."

"Well, you've paid me back," said Dick, with a grin. "You're a
gentleman, Nat, you are."

"And how about being green?"

"You're not green any more. You're