ll, I think," replied the old man, with quiet
determination.

"They won't want to send you back to Illinois now."

"I don't know but they will, when they find I won't go with them."

"Do you think of moving into the new house, Mr. Wilkins?" asked Mrs.
Gilbert, anxiously.

"Yes, I think I shall."

"We shall be sorry to lose you," she said, soberly.

"You are not going to lose me," assured Uncle Obed. "Do you think I am
going to live alone? I should die of loneliness. No! You and Harry go
with me, and I shall take the liberty of paying all the expenses of
housekeeping."

"How kind you are, Uncle Obed," said Harry.

"No, I'm not. I'm a selfish old man, looking out for what will make my
home happy. And that's not all. Mrs. Gilbert, didn't you tell me you had
a sister--a dressmaker in New York--in poor health."

"Yes, poor Maria. She is in poor health, but cannot afford a vacation."

"You shall offer her a home with you. There's plenty of room in
Carrington's house. She will be company for all of us, especially when
Master Harry goes to college."

"When I go to college!" Harry ejaculated.

"Certainly! Wouldn't you like it?"

"Very much; but it would take so many years, when I could be earning
nothing."

"I will see that you are provided for, Harry; but I don't want you to go
away from home at present, if it can be avoided. Isn't there any one in
the village with whom you can prepare for college?"

"Mr. Rodman, the minister, is an excellent scholar, and I am sure he
would be glad to take a pupil."

"Then go to see him at once. Tell him I don't want him to work for
nothing. I will pay him well for his services, and buy him all the
sticks he needs to flog you when you require it."

"That doesn't frighten me," said Harry, smiling.

"You will wonder how I became so rich," said Mr. Wilkins, after a pause.
"I will tell you. Ten years ago I befriended a young man, and furnished
him the means to go to California. There he prospered, and became very
rich. A year since he returned, on a visit, and, to my amazement,
insisted upon my accepting seventy thousand dollars as a free gift.
This, added to the little property I already had, made me worth rather
over seventy-five thousand dollars. Recently, feeling lonely, I came
East, intending, if my relatives here received me kindly, to make my
home with them, and make Philip Ross my heir. You know how my
expectations were disappointed. It was a grief to me, but it is al