As he was obliged to return home by the cars, he
left word that he would send out for the horse, in the afternoon. This
was Alfred's errand. After several inquiries, the boys found the man
who sold the horse. Having examined the new purchase, and freely
expressed their opinions of the animal's "points," they hitched his
halter to the wagon, and set out for home.

The sun was rapidly descending, when the boys reached the hotel stable.
Oscar, who felt somewhat uneasy about his absence from the store,
turned his steps in that direction, soon after he alighted from the
wagon. He found all hands very busy, and for a long time no one
appeared to notice him. At length his father happened to come to the
part of the shop where he was, and asked him where he had been all the
afternoon. Oscar proceeded to explain the cause of his absence, but
Mr. Preston was in too much of a hurry to listen to his long excuses,
and so he cut him short, and told him, in not very pleasant tones, that
Ralph had done the work, and he (Oscar) might go home again, just as
soon as he pleased--a privilege of which he quickly availed himself.

At the tea-table, that evening, Mr. Preston expressed his displeasure
with Oscar's conduct in very pointed terms. Oscar now explained the
circumstances of his going away--his attempt to get his father's
consent, and the promise of Ralph to supply his place. But the
explanation did not satisfy Mr. Preston. He said Oscar knew he was
needed that afternoon, and he ought not to have asked to go away, or
even to have thought of it. Even if Ralph was willing to do his work,
he did not like his putting so much upon his younger and weaker
brother. He then complimented Ralph for his industry, and his
willingness to make himself useful, and held him up to Oscar as a
pattern he would do well to imitate. He concluded his lecture to the
latter, by drawing from his pocket a quarter of a dollar, and
presenting it to Ralph, as a reward for his services. This touched
Oscar's feelings rather more than his father's reproofs. He thought to
himself that he had performed as much work in the store as Ralph, to
say the least, and was therefore as much entitled to a reward as he.
There was this difference, however, which he entirely overlooked: Oscar
did his share of the work reluctantly and from compulsion; Ralph did
his cheerfully and voluntarily, and solely for the purpose of making
himself useful.

CHAPTER VII.

T