e meal was a very happy one, even if the
dishes were somewhat cold. Harry's good luck put them all in fine
spirits.

After dinner Harry went out into the village, in the direction of the
store.

I suspect he wanted to show his watch, as most boys do when for the
first time they become the proud possessor of one.

On the way he met Philip Ross and James Congreve. The latter he had not
seen since they parted in the wood.

"There's our young captive, Philip," said Congreve.

"He's got a watch. At any rate, I see a watch chain," said Philip, whose
curiosity was excited.

"Hello!" called out Congreve, as they met; "where did you get that
watch?"

"I don't see wherein my having a watch should concern you; but I do
know, after the contemptible treatment I received at your hands
yesterday, your questions deserve no notice from me. But, as matters
turned out so well, I can afford to swallow my indignation."

"It was rather a mean trick, leaving you bound in the wood," said
Congreve, candidly. "I wouldn't have done it, except to oblige Philip."

"Has he told you how he liked being tied himself?"

Congreve looked, in surprise, at Philip. The latter had not chosen to
say anything about his own adventure in Temple's hut.

When Harry told the story, not omitting to mention that he had compelled
Philip to beg his pardon before he released him, Congreve burst into
hearty laughter, while Philip stood by, angry and ashamed.

"That's the best joke I ever heard," said Congreve. "I wish I had been
there to see."

"I thought you were my friend," said Philip, indignantly.

"I laugh at my friends sometimes," said Congreve. "What a splendid
joke!"

Philip didn't see it in that light, and was so mortified that he didn't
give Congreve an opportunity to ask further about the watch, but
hurriedly moved on. All the remainder of the afternoon he passed in a
sullen frame of mind.

CHAPTER XXX

CONGREVE'S SCHEME

James Congreve was a dangerous companion for Philip. He was utterly
unscrupulous, but took care to keep up a semblance of propriety, in
order not to terrify the boy whom he was leading into mischief.

They had commenced playing cards for amusement--at least, that was
Congreve's pretext--but it had led to playing for a stake.

Occasionally, when the stake was small, Congreve allowed Philip to win;
but, when more than a dollar was staked on the game, he generally
managed t