t the garden gate was
fastened so that the cows could not get in, and feed the chickens
regularly, and put the cat out every night, and not let the dog sleep
under his bed; and they were so busy talking and feeling sorry that they
got to the hotel before they knew it.

There, whom should they see but one of the Boy's Town merchants, who was
in the city on business, and who seemed as glad to meet them as if they
were his own relations. They were glad, too, for it made them feel as if
they had got back to the Boy's Town when he came up and spoke to Mrs.
Baker. They had started from home after a very early breakfast, and she
said it seemed as if they had been gone a year already. The merchant told
her that he had been looking everywhere for somebody he knew who was going
to the Boy's Town; and then he told Mrs. Baker that he had two thousand
dollars which he wanted to send home to his partner, and he asked her if
she could take it for him when she went back.

"Well, indeed, indeed, I'm thankful I'm not going, Mr. Bushell!" Mrs.
Baker said. "And I wouldn't have supposed I could be, I'm so homesick. I'm
going up the river on a visit to mother; but if I was going straight back,
I wouldn't take your two thousand dollars for the half of it. I would be
afraid of losing it, or getting robbed and murdered. I don't know what
wouldn't happen. I would be happy to oblige you, but indeed, indeed I
couldn't!"

The merchant said he was sorry, but if she was not going home he supposed
he would have to find some one who was. It was before the days of sending
money by express, or telegraphing it, and the merchant told her he was
afraid to trust the money in the mail. He asked her who was going to take
her carriage home, and she told him the name of the driver from the livery
stable in the Boy's Town, who had come to the city with them.

Mr. Bushell seemed dreadfully disappointed, but when she went on to say
how anxious she was that the driver should get Frank and his brother home
before dark, he brightened up all of a sudden, and he asked, "Is Frank
going back?" and he looked down into Frank's face and smiled, as most
people did when they looked into Frank's face, and he asked, "What's the
reason Frank couldn't take it?"

Mrs. Baker put her arm across Frank's breast and pulled him away, and
said, "Indeed, indeed, the child just sha'n't, and that's all about it!"

But Mr. Bushell took the boy by the arm and laughed. "Let's feel how deep