to do."

"Then you won't sell me the fiddle, Phil?"

"No, I won't," answered our hero, with scant ceremony.

"Then I'll have to bid it off at the auction. Maybe I'll get it
cheaper."

And Mr. Nicholas Holden at length relieved Philip of his company.

CHAPTER IV. THE AUCTION.

It so happened that Nick Holden met Squire Pope on the village street,
and, being rather disappointed at the result of his negotiations with
Philip, thought it might be a good idea to broach the subject to the
squire, who, as he knew, had taken it upon himself to superintend the
sale of Mr. Gray's goods.

"I say, squire, I've just been over to see Phil Gray."

"Ahem! Well, how does he seem to feel?"

"Kinder stuck up, I reckon. He said he wouldn't go to the poorhouse, and
I might tell you so."

"I apprehend," said the squire, in his stately way, "he will be under
the necessity of going, whether he likes it or not."

"Just so; that's what I told him!" interjected Nick.

"And he should be grateful for so comfortable a home," continued the
public man.

"Well, I dunno," said Nick. "They do say that old Tucker most starves
the paupers. Why his bills with dad are awful small."

"The town cannot afford to pamper the appetites of its beneficiaries,"
said the squire. "Where is Philip now?"

"I guess he's at home. I offered to buy his fiddle, but he said he was
going to keep it. I offered him a dollar and sixty-four cents--the same
as dad's bill against his father, but he wouldn't take it."

"Really, Nicholas, your offer was very irregular--extremely irregular.
It should have been made to me, as the administrator of the late Mr.
Gray, and not to a boy like Philip."

"Will you sell me the fiddle for dad's bill, squire?" asked Nicholas
eagerly.

"You are premature, Nicholas--"

"What's that?"

"I mean you must wait till the auction. Then you will have a chance to
bid on the instrument, if you want to secure it."

"Phil says it's his, and won't be for sale at the auction."

"Then Philip is mistaken. He is only a boy. The estate will be settled
by those who are older and wiser than he."

"I guess you'll find him hard to manage, squire," said Nick, laughing.

"We shall see--we shall see," returned the squire.

And, with a dignified wave of the hand, he continued on his walk.

After the visit of Nicholas, Philip thought it most prudent to convey
the violin which he prized so much to the house of his friend, Frank
Dunbar, w