n it, we weren't going to
do the thing half, so we clubbed together and got Kirby a suit of
store-clothes and a shiny valise, and he went off as proper as a
parson,--begging your pardon!--and we settled down again. He wrote
pretty prompt, and said everything was going on as smooth as oil. The
old man had called out that it was Clint as soon as he saw him, before
he'd said a word, and Kirby wrote it would have been kind of cruel to
have told him better. So he didn't. He wrote several more letters, and
once Jack White had a letter from his sister saying that Clint Bowers
had come home, and it was said that the old man was tickled to death
with his manners, and meant to leave him all he had. This clinched it
sure enough, and Clint became tip-top among the boys, and his credit
was good for all the drinks he chose to order, and I must say he was
liberal enough, and nobody contradicted him. He wrote to Kirby,--he
was all the time writing to him,--but this time he told how handsome
he thought it was in him to do all this, considering everything. When
the answer came, Kirby said he didn't profess much religion, and he
thought that generally speakin' heaping coals of fire on any one's
head was against the grain, but Clint was more than welcome to his
services."

"He _was_ a good fellow," exclaimed George. "I don't wonder you liked
him!"

"Yes, _I_ allers stood up for Kirby when the boys were hardest on him.
But to finish up, for I'm telling an oncommon long yarn, at last a
letter came saying that the old man was dead and the money fixed. How
much it was Kirby couldn't say yet, but he meant to hurry matters up,
he said. Of course he didn't put all he meant into plain words, for it
wouldn't do to trust it, and he was allers more careful than Clint,
who never knew when to hush. But now Kirby said he'd have everything
straight inside of two weeks, and we weren't to look for another
letter from him.

"Well, it _was_ surprisin' how many birds Clint broiled for Kirby the
next few weeks! You see, Kirby allers was a gentleman in his tastes,
and had a particular liking for birds on toast, and of course Clint
wanted to give him a proper welcome home. We knew just when the boats
were likely to come, and Clint was allers ready for a surprise."

"And he came just when he was least expected," said George, with a
bright smile; "that is the way things always happen in this world. I
am sure of that!"

"Why, no, bless your heart, _he_ never