picked up the coin, and his practiced eye detected that it
was bogus.

"The young villain!" he muttered angrily. "I'd like to wring his
neck. It's a bad one after all." He looked after the receding team
and was half disposed to follow, but he changed his mind, reflecting,
"I can pass it anyhow."

Instead of pursuing his journey, he made his way into the woods, and,
stretching himself out among the underbrush, went to sleep.

Half a mile before reaching the store, Ben overtook Rose Gardiner, who
had the reputation of being the prettiest girl in Pendleton--at any
rate, such was Ben's opinion. She looked up and smiled pleasantly at
Ben as he took off his hat.

"Shall you attend Prof. Harrington's entertainment at the Town Hall
this evening, Ben?" she asked, after they had interchanged greetings.

"I should like to go," answered Ben, "but I am afraid I can't be
spared from the store. Shall you go?"

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. I hope I shall see you there."

"I shall want to go all the more then." answered Ben gallantly.

"You say that to flatter me," said the young lady, with an arch smile.

"No, I don't," said Ben earnestly. "Won't you get in and ride as far
as the store?"

"Would it be proper?" asked Miss Rose demurely.

"Of course it would."

"Then I'll venture."

Ben jumped from the wagon, assisted the young lady in, and the two
drove into the village together. He liked his second passenger
considerably better than the first.

CHAPTER II
BEN AND HIS MOTHER

Ben Barclay, after taking leave of the tramp, lost no time in driving
to the grocery store where he was employed. It was a large country
store, devoted not to groceries alone, but supplies of dry-goods,
boots and shoes, and the leading articles required in the community.
There were two other clerks besides Ben, one the son, another the
nephew, of Simon Crawford, the proprietor.

"Did you collect any money, Ben?" asked Simon, who chanced to be
standing at the door when our hero drove up.

"Yes, sir; I collected twenty-five dollars, but came near losing it on
the way home."

"How was that? I hope you were not careless."

"No, except in taking a stranger as a passenger. When we got to that
piece of woods a mile back, he asked me for all the money I had."

"A highwayman, and so near Pentonville!" ejaculated Simon Crawford.
"What was he like?"

"A regular tramp."

"Yet you say you have the money. How did you manage t