ch the school-master had told him down in
the mountains, and, looking, Chad wanted to get closer.

"I wonder if it'll make any difference if I go up thar?" he said to the
old driver.

"No," the old man hesitated--"no, suh, co'se not." And Chad climbed out
and the old negro followed him with his eyes. He did not wholly approve
of his master's picking up an unknown boy on the road. It was all right
to let him ride, but to be taking him home--old Tom shook his head.

"Jess wait till Miss Lucy sees that piece o' white trash," he said,
shaking his head. Chad was walking slowly with his eyes raised. It must
be the college where the school-master had gone to school--for the
building was as big as the cliff that he had pointed out down in the
mountains, and the porch was as big as the black rock that he pointed
out at the same time--the college where Caleb Hazel said Chad, too,
must go some day. The Major was coming out when the boy reached the
foot of the steps, and with him was a tall, gray man with spectacles
and a white tie and very white nails, and the Major said:

"There he is now, Professor." And the Professor looked at Chad
curiously, and smiled and smiled again kindly when he saw the boy's
grave, unsmiling eyes fastened on him.

Then, out of the town and through the late radiant afternoon they went
until the sun sank and the carriage stopped before a gate. While the
pickaninny was opening it, another carriage went swiftly behind them,
and the Major called out cleanly to the occupants--a quiet, sombre,
dignified-looking man and two handsome boys and a little girl. "They're
my neighbors, Chad," said the Major.

Not a sound did the wheels make on the thick turf as they drove toward
the old-fashioned brick house (it had no pillars), with its windows
shining through the firs and cedars that filled the yard. The Major put
his hand on the boy's shoulder:

"Well, here we are, little man."

At the yard gate there was a great barking of dogs, and a great shout
of welcome from the negroes who came forward to take the horses. To
each of them the Major gave a little package, which each darky took
with shining teeth and a laugh of delight--all looking with wonder at
the curious little stranger with his rifle and coonskin cap, until a
scowl from the Major checked the smile that started on each black face.
Then the Major led Chad up a flight of steps and into a big hall and on
into a big drawing-room, where there was a huge f