struck by the determination which his words and tone evinced. "I do believe you'd manage it," he said, involuntarily thinking aloud; there was so much manliness and honesty in the expression of his face, remarkable for one so young. "You are your mother's own boy. I only wish I could afford to pay your expenses myself." But the doctor's generosity was limited by a very narrow purse, and he had daily more calls upon his naturally benevolent heart than a wealthier man could have satisfied. Howeverall praise be to him for it-he did what he could when he found that the boy's determination was not to be shaken. He found a purchaser for the few articles of furniture,-a part of the wedding gifts poor Mary Lewis had prized so much-in the pawnbroker on the corner. knew it was less than the well-made articles were worth, but ten dollars seemed a fortune to Robert, and he did not know that the other five had been added by the doctor himself. Mrs. Brown produced three more, the little hoard of their mother, and a few shillings in change were found in her .work-basket. The well-saved but slender ward He robe she had possessed, was by the doctor's advice given to their kind neighbor, and their own, wellmended but wonderfully neat and clean, was tied in a large handkerchief ready for the journey. All these little preparations took until the afternoon of the next day. The doctor had written their father's address upon a card, which he charged Robert to be very careful of, and he had taken a map to show them the towns through which they must pass. Nor did his kindness stop here. He drove them in his own light carriage to the wharfafter a tearful leave-taking of Mrs. Brown, John, and Winny-saying that he had an errand that way. What his errand was, may be guessed from the fact that he interceded with the captain of a boat, for a free deck passage down the river, and then bade them good-by hurriedly, as if he was already beyond his time, shaking Robert by the hand as if he had been a man, and patting Eddy's curly little head, as he told him to be a good boy and mind his brother. "I shall hear of that boy yet," he said to himself, as he turned to take a last look at them as the boat moved off. "I'd trust him to take care of himself any where." |