dging homeward.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COMING OF A LETTER

Perhaps Dick did not walk quite as briskly as usual while trudging
homeward, for he was certainly pretty well tired out, and what with the
poles and fish he had quite a burden to carry.

But he felt pleased to think that the day had been so filled with little
happenings, from his unsuccessful search for work, the ride with the
friendly farmer who had offered him a place, the fishing-hole industry,
and last, but not far from least, the rescue of Benjy and succeeding
gratitude of pretty Bessie Gibbs.

He was glad it had been _her_ cat; he would sooner do a favor for Bessie
than any girl he knew; for while her father was probably the richest man
in Riverview she had never put on any airs like the Harkness girls, who
passed him in the street and looked right through him without a smile.

About half way home he met a carriage coming out from town.

It contained several people, and Dick quickly recognized it as the
Gibbs vehicle--yes, and that Bessie was one of those who made up the
party.

He stepped out of the road to let it pass; and had it been possible Dick
would have tried to conceal himself behind a tree; but he feared Bessie
must have already seen him, and would laugh at his desire to avoid being
thanked for his afternoon's rescue.

Just as he feared, the carriage came to a stop before reaching him, and
he saw Bessie leaning forward, beckoning wildly to him.

"Dick, please come here. Mamma wants to thank you for saving our poor
little Benjy. He has dried off beautifully, and looks whiter than ever.
I don't believe his swim hurt him a little bit. I hope you didn't catch
cold, Dick," was what he heard her saying.

There was nothing for it then but to advance to the side of the
carriage.

Mrs. Gibbs was a refined lady, and perhaps a little given to believing
that there are few things in this world that cannot be settled by a
money consideration.

She felt grateful to the boy for saving the pet of her daughter; she
knew who he was and that his father had been a carpenter, an honest man
and with a reputation for respectability around Riverview, but she could
not imagine for a moment that she would hurt the feelings of a boy by
offering him a reward for wading into the river and taking a drowning
cat out.

"Yes, I hope you will not suffer from your immersion, Richard. It was
very kind, indeed, of you to go to such trouble for the sake of a poor