to be bossed--and I won't be, either!"

"You have to mind in school," said Agnes, slowly.

"That's another thing," said the boy. "But I wouldn't let another boy
boss me."

In five minutes Ruth was down upon the back porch, too. She was neat and
fresh and smiling. When Ruth smiled, dimples came at the corners of her
mouth and the laughter jumped right out of her eyes at you in a most
unexpected way. The white-haired boy evidently approved of her, now that
he saw her close to.

"Tell me how it happened!" commanded Ruth of her sister, and Agnes did
so. In the telling the boy lost nothing of courage and dexterity, you
may be sure!

"Why, that's quite wonderful!" cried Ruth, smiling again at the boy. "It
was awfully rash of you, Aggie, but it was providential this--this--You
haven't told me his name?"

"Why! I don't know it myself," confessed Agnes.

"And after all he did for you!" exclaimed Ruth, in admonition.

"Aw--it wasn't anything," growled the boy, with all the sex's objection
to being thought a hero.

"You must be very strong--a regular athlete," declared Ruth.

"Any other boy could do it."

"No!"

"If he knew how," limited the white-haired boy.

"And how did you learn so much!" asked Ruth, curiously.

Again the red flushed into his pale face. "Practicin'. That's all," he
said, rather doggedly.

"Won't you tell us who you are?" asked Ruth, feeling that the boy was
keeping up a wall between them.

"Neale O'Neil."

"Do you live in Milton?"

"I do now."

"But I never remember seeing you before," Ruth said, puzzled.

"I only came to stay yesterday," confessed the boy, and once more he
grinned and his eyes were roguish.

"Oh! then your folks have just moved in?"

"I haven't any folks."

"No family at all?"

"No, ma'am," said Neale O'Neil, rather sullenly Ruth thought

"You are not all alone--a boy like you?"

"Why not?" demanded he, tartly. "I'm 'most as old as you are."

"But _I_ am not all alone," said Ruth, pleasantly. "I have the girls--my
sisters; and I have Aunt Sarah--and Mr. Howbridge."

"Well, I haven't anybody," confessed Neale O'Neil, rather gloomily.

"You surely have some friends?" asked Ruth, not only curious, but
sympathetic.

"Not here. I'm alone, I tell you." Yet he did not speak so ungratefully
now. It was impressed upon his mind that Ruth's questions were friendly.
"And I am going to school here. I've got some money saved up. I want to
find a boarding place whe