ith prompt decision and unshaken
gravity, "the only thing for you to do is to just throw over Dobell and
Parsons and Jones and the old quill pen that I see you're accustomed
to, and start in fresh as if you'd never known them. Forget 'em all,
you know. It will be mighty hard of course to do that," he continued,
looking out of the window, "but you must do it."

He turned back, the brightness that transfigured Uncle Ben's face at
that moment brought a slight moisture into his own eyes. The humble
seeker of knowledge said hurriedly that he would try.

"And begin again at the beginning," continued the master cheerfully.
"Exactly like one of those--in fact, as if you REALLY were a child
again."

"That's so," said Uncle Ben, rubbing his hands delightedly, "that's me!
Why, that's jest what I was sayin' to Roop"--

"Then you've already been talking about it?" intercepted the master in
some surprise. "I thought you wanted it kept secret?"

"Well, yes," responded Uncle Ben dubiously. "But you see I sorter agreed
with Roop Filgee that if you took to my ideas and didn't object, I'd
give him two bits* every time he'd kem here and help me of an arternoon
when you was away and kinder stand guard around the school-house, you
know, so as to keep the fellows off. And Roop's mighty sharp for a boy,
ye know."

* Two bits, i. e., twenty-five cents.

The master reflected a moment and concluded that Uncle Ben was probably
right. Rupert Filgee, who was a handsome boy of fourteen, was also a
strongly original character whose youthful cynicism and blunt,
honest temper had always attracted him. He was a fair scholar, with a
possibility of being a better one, and the proposed arrangement with
Uncle Ben would not interfere with the discipline of school hours
and might help them both. Nevertheless he asked good-humoredly, "But
couldn't you do this more securely and easily in your own house? I might
lend you the books, you know, and come to you twice a week."

Uncle Ben's radiant face suddenly clouded. "It wouldn't be exactly the
same kind o' game to me an' Roop," he said hesitatingly. "You see thar's
the idea o' the school-house, ye know, and the restfulness and the
quiet, and the gen'ral air o' study. And the boys around town ez
wouldn't think nothin' o' trapsen' into my cabin if they spotted what I
was up to thar, would never dream o' hunting me here."

"Very well," said the master, "let it be here then." Observing that his
compani