tober. The road leading west from
Clayton ran the gantlet of fiery maples and sumac until it reached the
barren hillside below "Who'd 'a' Thought It." The little cabin clung
to the side of the steep slope like a bit of fungus to the trunk of a
tree.

In the doorway sat three girls, one tall and dark, one plump and fair,
and the third straight and thin. They were anxiously awaiting the
revelation of the future as disclosed by Aunt Melvy's far-famed
tea-leaves. The prophetess kept them company while waiting for the
water to boil.

"He sutenly is a peart boy," she was saying. "De jedge done start him
in plumb at de foot up at de 'cademy, an' dey tell me he's ketchin' up
right along."

"Wasn't it g-grand in Judge Hollis to send him to school?" said
Annette. "Of course he's going to work for him b-between times. They
say even Mrs. Hollis is glad he is going to stay."

"'Co'se she is," said Aunt Melvy; "dere nebber was nobody come it over
Miss Sue lak he done."

"Father says he is very quick," ventured Martha Meech, a faint color
coming to her dull cheek at this unusual opportunity of descanting
upon such an absorbing subject. "Father told Judge Hollis he would
help him with his lessons, and that he thought it would be only a
little while before he was up with the other boys."

"Dad says he's a d-dandy," cried Annette. "And isn't it grand he's
going to be put on the ball team and the glee club!"

Ruth rose to break a branch laden with crimson maple-leaves. "Was he
ever here before?" she asked in puzzled tones. "I have seen him
somewhere, and I can't think where."

"Well, I'd never f-forget him," said Annette. "He's got the jolliest
face I ever saw. M-Martha says he can jump that high fence b-back of
the Hollises' without touching it. I d-drove dad's buggy clear up over
the curbstone yesterday, so he would come to the r-rescue, and he
swung on to old B-Baldy's neck like he had been a race-horse."

"But you don't know him," protested Ruth. "And, besides, he was--he
was a peddler."

"I don't care if he was," said Annette. "And if I don't know him, it's
no sign I am not g-going to."

Aunt Melvy chuckled as she rose to encourage the fire with a pair of
squeaking old bellows.

Martha looked about the room curiously. "Can you really tell what's
going to happen?" she asked timidly.

"Indeed she can," said Annette. "She told Jane Lewis that she was
g-going to have some g-good luck, and the v-very next week her aunt