was too young to understand it.

All he knew was that he had to leave his pleasant boarding place and
go to live with a poor family--the Millers--who took compassion on the
homeless lad.

Mr. Miller had made an effort to see if Mr. Morton had not left some
little money, but his investigation resulted in nothing.

For about two years Nat had lived with the Millers, doing what odd
jobs he could find. His liking for the water kept him near the lake,
and he had never given up his early ambition to become a pilot some
day, though that time seemed very far off.

Every chance Nat got he went aboard the steamers that tied up at the
river wharves. In this way he got to know many captains and officers.
Some were kind to him and allowed him the run of their ships while at
dock. Others were surly, and ordered the boy off.

In this way he became quite a familiar figure about the lake front,
and was more or less known to those who had business there.

When Mr. Miller came home the night of Nat's adventure he
congratulated the lad on what he had done in the matter of saving the
rowboat.

"And I got well paid for it," added Nat as he finished his story and
showed the five-dollar bill. "There, Mrs. Miller, we'll have a good
dinner Sunday."

"But I can't take your money, Nat," objected the woman.

"Of course you will," he insisted. "That's what it's for. I owe you a
lot of back board, anyhow. I didn't get hardly any work last week."

"I hope business will be better next week," said Mr. Miller. "I didn't
earn much myself these last few days."

There was little to do at the pier the next day, and the following day
quite a severe storm swept over the lake. The boats were late getting
to the docks, and the longshoremen and freight handlers had to labor
far into the night.

"I don't believe I'll be able to get home to supper, Nat," said Mr.
Miller to the lad as they were working near each other on the dock
late in the afternoon. "Could you spare time to go up and tell my
wife?"

"Sure. I'm almost done with taking out the light stuff. I'll go in
about half an hour. Shall I bring you back some lunch?"

"Yes, that would be a good idea, and then I'll not have to stop, and I
can earn more."

As Nat was about to leave, the freight agent called to him:

"Where you going, Nat?"

"Home to get some supper for Mr. Miller."

"All right. See me when you come back. I have an errand for you, and
I'll give you a quarter if you do it.