pinkiness was stealing into her own face. A vacation had seemed such an
impossible thing that she had never dared picture how welcome such a
rest would be.

When, weeks later, the trio returned to town and Mr. Coddington
surprised them by meeting them at the station with the motor-car his
gratification was extreme. He waved aside all thanks, however, and after
dropping Nat and his mother at their home he rolled off with Peter,
explaining that he would take the lad to his own door. Nat wondered not
a little where that door was, and he would have been overwhelmed with
amazement had he known that portals no less pretentious than those of
the Coddington mansion itself opened to receive his chum. Very wide open
indeed were they thrown when the car bringing Peter and his father
turned into the long avenue leading to the house. How glad Peter's
mother was to see him, and how satisfied she was with the witchcraft
that wind and wave had wrought!

"I guess there is no doubt that now you are fit either for school or for
work, Peter," said Mr. Coddington. "Which is it to be? Are you still
firm in your decision to stick to the tannery? It isn't too late to
change your mind, you know, if you wish to do so."

"I'm firmer for the tannery than ever, Father," answered Peter, smiling.

"Going to fight it out, are you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good!"

It was only one word, but Peter knew that his father was pleased.

Accordingly on the following Monday morning the boy again took up his
old work in the finishing department. Here Nat joined him, and since
this branch of leather manufacture was an entirely new world to Jackson,
Peter took his turn at explaining its various processes, and felt no
little pride in having the teaching obligations reversed, and being able
to give his chum instructions concerning matters of which he was
ignorant. The two boys were becoming quite expert at boarding calfskins
and had settled down with great contentment to this task when one day
they were surprised and perhaps not a little disappointed to receive
orders to leave their present occupation and report for duty at Factory
2, the sheepskin tannery.

[Illustration: IN THE FINISHING DEPARTMENT]

"Another beamhouse!" exclaimed Peter in dismay. "I thought we were
through with that sort of thing for good and all, Nat."

"Oh, it isn't likely we'll stay there," was Nat's hopeful rejoinder.
"Evidently somebody higher up wants us to have this chance to see how