r; and Vinnie heard Radcliff say to the boys,--

"You can afford to lay by now, and have a good time, with that money."

"Radcliff Betterson!" cried Vinnie, "you provoke me!"

"How so, my charmer?" said Rad, bowing and smiling saucily.

"With your foolish talk. But I hope--yes, I know--the boys will pay no
attention to it. To stop work now, and go and play, just because a
little money has come into the house,--I should lose all my respect for
them, if they were to do so silly a thing."

"Well, I was only joking," said Rad.

"We could very well spare some of your jokes," Vinnie replied.

"And me too, I suppose you think?"

"You might be more useful to yourself and others than you are; it is
easy to see that."

"Well, give me a smile now and then; don't be so cross with a feller,"
said Rad. "You don't show me very much respect."

"It isn't my fault; I should be glad to show you more."

Such was about the usual amount of satisfaction Radcliff got from his
talk with Vinnie. She was always "up to him," as the boys said.

When he walked off, and found them laughing at his discomfiture, he
laughed too, with a fresh quid in his cheek, and his head on one-side,
but with something not altogether happy in his mirth.

"Uncle Lord," said he in the evening, "if you'll put your name to that
draft, I'll go over to the Mills in the morning and cash it for you."

"Thank you, Radcliff," said his uncle. "I've some bills to pay, and I
may as well go myself."

"Let the bills slide, why don't you, and get some good out of the
money?" said Radcliff. "And see here, uncle,--what's the use of paying
off that truckman in such a hurry? I want some of that money; it was
intended for me, and I ain't going to be cheated out of it."

"As to that," replied Lord, "you entered into a certain agreement, which
seemed to me just; and I do not like now to hear you speak of being
cheated,--you, of all persons, Radcliff."

"O, well, I suppose you'll do as you like, since you've got the thing
into your hands!" And Radcliff walked sulkily out of the house.

The next day Mr. Betterson drove over to the Mills, cashed the draft,
made some necessary purchases, paid some bills which had been long
outstanding, and called to hand Jack eighty dollars, on Radcliff's
account, for the swindled truckman.

Jack was off surveying with Forrest Felton, and was not expected home
for a day or two. Mr. Betterson hardly knew what to do in that case, but
finally