the boat-landing with them. Jack began to tell him
about the land.

"Don't say anything about it to me, nor to anybody else but your
lawyer," said Mr. Kane; "and do not mention my name. You may say to your
lawyer that the land has just changed hands, and the matter must be
attended to soon. It won't stand exposed in that way long."

When the boys were in the boat ready to start, Mr. Kane said to Bob:

"You wouldn't mind working for me this summer at the regular price?"

"I'd like to," said Bob.

"How soon can you come?"

"Next Wednesday evening."

"I'll expect you," said the Judge, and he turned away up the bank, with
a slight nod and a curt "Good-bye," while Bob said: "What a curious man
he is!"

"Yes, and as good as he's curious," added Jack.

It was a warm day for rowing, but the boys were both a little homesick.
Under the shelter of a point where the current was not too strong the
two rowed and made fair headway, sometimes encountering an eddy which
gave them a lift. But whenever the current set strongly toward their
side of the river, and whenever they found it necessary to round a
point, one of them would leap out on the pebbly beach and, throwing the
boat-rope over his shoulder, set his strength against the stream. The
rope, or _cordelle_,--a word that has come down from the first French
travellers and traders in the great valley,--was tied to the row-locks.
It was necessary for one to steer in the stern while the other played
tow-horse, so that each had his turn at rest and at work. After three
hours' toil the wharf-boat of the village was in sight, and all sorts of
familiar objects gladdened their hearts. They reached the landing, and
then, laden with things, they hurriedly cut across the commons to their
homes.

As soon as Jack's first greeting with his mother was over, she told him
that she thought she might afford him one more quarter of school.

"No," said Jack, "you've pinched yourself long enough for me; now it's
time I should go to work. If you try to squeeze out another quarter of
school for me you'll have to suffer for it. Besides, I don't see how
you can do it, unless Gray comes down, and I think I have now in my
pocket something that will make him come down." And Jack's face
brightened at the thought of the slip of paper in the pocket of his
roundabout.

Without observing the last remark, nor the evident elation of Jack's
feelings, Mrs. Dudley proceeded to tell him that she had been of