bright and early. It did not take long to arrange matters to his
satisfaction, and he had now been in Mr. Henry's employ about two weeks,
and he began to believe that he was in a fair way to redeem himself. Mr.
Henry was of the same opinion. He had faith in Johnny's good
resolutions, and he never had occasion to regret that he had taken him
into the store.

Johnny's employer stood at his desk putting away his books and papers,
while the clerk leaned on the counter and watched the vessel in the
harbor. At last Mr. Henry closed and locked his safe, and, turning to
Johnny, said:

"I shall leave you to-night with a big responsibility."

"How much is it, sir?" asked the clerk, who knew that the grocer had
reference to the money in the safe.

"Seven thousand dollars," answered Mr. Henry. "The greater portion of it
belongs to my brother, who has come down from Boston to take up a note
that falls due to-morrow. If he fails to pay it, his creditors will have
something to say to me, for I indorsed the note. There are also two
thousand dollars of my own money in the safe, with which I intend to pay
some bills in the morning. If I lose it I am ruined. I shouldn't wonder
if you had visitors to-night," added the grocer, as he picked up his hat
and cane; "so keep your eyes open."

"All right, sir," replied Johnny. "I'll defend that safe against an army
of burglars."

Mr. Henry was jesting, and so was Johnny; not about the money, or the
trouble its loss would occasion, but about the robbers. There was
certainly that amount in the safe, and it was equally certain that it
was needed for just the purposes that Mr. Henry had indicated, but he
was not in earnest when he told his clerk to look out for visitors. No
one ever dreamed of such a thing as a burglary in Newport. Johnny had
never heard of one, except through the papers, but this night was to add
a new chapter to his experience.

"Seven thousand dollars!" said he to himself, as he walked out of the
store, and began putting up the shutters. "That's a nice little sum of
money. I wonder if I shall ever own as much! I should say not, unless I
get a big increase on my present salary. People don't live long enough
nowadays to grow rich on four dollars and a half a week. Never mind,
every dog has his day, and who knows but there is one coming for Jack
Harding? What can I do for you this evening, gentlemen?"

This question was addressed to a couple of rough-looking men, who just
t