me in!"

A little disconcerted by the unusual sounds, the boy, instead of obeying
the invitation, knocked again.

Then there was a heavy step across the floor, the door swung open with a
jerk, and a tall, raw-boned man, shaggy-bearded and shock haired, stood
on the threshold.

Eying the boy a moment in surprise, he asked, somewhat surlily:

"What do ye want, youngster?"

"Are you Mr. Noman?" the boy asked.

"Yes; what of it?" he answered, sharply.

"I was told you wanted help, and I have called to see about it,"
explained the boy.

[Illustration:
"THEN CAME A SUDDEN BREAKER, ROLLING OUTWARD, THAT LIFTED THE CART
AND OXEN FROM THE ROAD-BED AND SWEPT THEM OUT INTO THE SOUND."]

"Come in, then!" said Mr. Noman.

And his tones were wonderfully modified.

The boy now obeyed, and found himself in a large room, evidently the
kitchen and living-room all in one. There was no carpet on the floor,
and a stove, a table and a half-dozen chairs constituted its furniture.

Three large dogs lay before the fire, growling sullenly. A woman and
four small children were seated at the table. An empty chair and an
unemptied plate showed that Mr. Noman had been eating when he was called
to the door.

There was food enough upon the table, but its disorderly arrangement,
and the haphazard way in which each child was helping itself, caused the
boy to give an involuntary shudder, as his host invited him to sit down
"an' take a bite, while they talked over business together."

Mr. Noman evidently meant to give his caller a flattering impression of
his hospitality, for he heaped the boy's plate with cold pork, brown
bread and vegetables, and even called on his wife to get some of that
"apple sass" for the young stranger.

The boy was hungry, and the food was, after all, wholesome, and he
stowed away a quantity that surprised himself, if not his host.

When supper was eaten, Mr. Noman pushed back his chair and abruptly
asked his guest:

"Who air ye?"

"Matt Rives," promptly replied the boy.

"That's a kinder cur'us name, now, ain't it?" questioned Mr. Noman.
"I dunno any Riveses round here. Where be ye from?"

"I came from New York State," replied Matt, with the air of one who had
studied his answer, but it seemed for some reason to be very
satisfactory to his questioner.

"Any parents?" next inquired Mr. Noman.

"No, sir--nor brothers nor sisters. I've no one but myself to look out
for."

"I guess ye ain't used to fa