though the trial of the harbor thieves was expedited, it was a week before jed and mr. roper were able to leave new york. jed's testimony settled the matter, and the two thieves were sentenced to terms of five years' imprisonment.

"i'll get even with you yet, young fellow!" muttered the sallow-faced man, eyeing jed with deep malignity as he left the witness-box.

"where is your trunk?" asked mr. roper after their first visit to the office of the harbor police.

"i never owned one, mr. roper."

"your valise, then."

"it is at a small hotel near the battery."

"get it and bring it on board the yacht."

jed did so, and mr. roper asked to see it.

"you are poorly equipped, jed," he said. "that reminds me that if i am going to [pg 271]monopolize your services i must pay you some salary. how will fifty dollars a month answer?"

"but, mr. roper, i can't earn as much as that."

"perhaps not, but if i am willing to pay it, you can set your mind at rest. i will see that you are better provided with clothing, undergarments, et cetera. here, give me a piece of paper."

mr. roper drew up a list of articles which he thought jed might need—a very liberal list, by the way—and sent him with a note to his own tradesmen, with directions to supply him with such articles as he might select. he also gave him an order on his own tailor for a suit of clothes.

"but, mr. roper, it will take me a long time to pay for all these out of my wages," protested jed.

schuyler roper laughed.

"my dear boy," he said, "i haven't the least idea of making you pay for them. just look upon me as your older brother, who is able and willing to provide for you."

[pg 272]

"i am deeply grateful to you, mr. roper," responded jed earnestly. "i certainly stumbled into luck when i boarded your yacht."

"i don't know how it is," said roper, as he eyed jed thoughtfully, "you didn't seem a stranger to me even when i first saw you. it seemed natural for me to look after you. i am an only son, and you never knew what it was to have a brother. i begin to think that i have lost a great deal in being so much alone."

"you may be deceived in me, mr. roper. you know very little of me, and that is not at all to my advantage."

"well, i admit that, jed. considering that i caught you in the act of robbing me, i may be said to have known you at your worst."

"you know nothing of my past life."

"you shall tell me all about it after a while, when we are not so busy."

meanwhile jed became familiar with his duties on board the yacht, and during the absence of mr. roper was regarded by the men as his representative.

no one could have treated him with more[pg 273] generous confidence than his new friend. jed was intrusted at times with considerable sums for disbursements, and was proud of the confidence reposed in him. of mr. roper, except that he appeared to be a rich young man, he knew next to nothing, till one day he fell in with his watering-place friend, howell foster.

"you are still with schuyler?" he asked.

"oh yes, sir. i am going with him to bar harbor."

"and then?"

"i believe he means to keep me with him."

"you are in luck. schuyler is a generous, open-hearted young man, liberal to a fault, and ready to do anything for one he takes to. i suppose you know that he is rich?"

"i thought he must be."

"his father died two years since, leaving him half a million of dollars. he spends freely, but does not squander his money. he is paying for the college education of a poor boy in whom he feels an interest—the son of an old bookkeeper of his father's—as i happen to know. he is a favorite in society, but has never shown an inclination to marry."

[pg 274]

"is his mother living?" asked jed.

"no; she died before his father. he is very much alone in the world."

"that is why he is so generous to me, i think."

"perhaps so, but it is his nature to be kind. by the way, jed, when my family comes back from sea spray i would like to have you call upon us. we live on madison avenue."

"thank you, mr. foster. if i am in new york i shall be glad to do so."

"i begin to think i am getting into society," thought jed. "it is not over three months since i left the scranton poorhouse, and here i am adopted by one rich man and welcomed at the house of another."

it was natural that jed should feel elated by his good luck. but he was not allowed to forget his early adversity, for on the fourth day after entering the service of mr. roper he met on broadway, just above chambers street, his old enemy, percy dixon.

percy was the first to recognize him.

"oh it's you, is it?" he said in considerable surprise.

[pg 275]

jed smiled. he felt that he could afford to disregard percy's impertinence.

"my dear friend percy," he said. "how well you remember me!"

"yes, i remember you, and so does mr. fogson of the scranton poorhouse."

"remember me to the kind old man!" said jed comically.

"how soon are you going back?"

"not very soon. of course it would be pleasant to me to be able to see you every day, percy, but——"

"you needn't flatter yourself that i would take any notice of you. what are you doing for a living?"

"i am going yachting in a few days."

"what! oh, i understand. you have hired out as a sailor."

"well no, not exactly."

"what yacht are you working on?"

"perhaps you would like to visit it?"

"yes, i would," said percy, feeling puzzled and curious.

"come to the battery with me, then. we'd better board the next car."

[pg 276]

percy followed jed into a broadway car, and jed, to his surprise, paid the fare.

"i was going to pay the fare," said percy.

"oh never mind!" returned jed carelessly.

"i don't want to put you to expense."

"oh! it's not worth minding."

arrived at the battery, jed called a boatman and said, "row me out to the juno, beyond governor's island."

jed leaned back in the boat, and percy stared at him in wonder. when they reached the yacht one of the men produced a ladder, and jed led the way on board.

"any orders, mr. gilman?" asked the sailor respectfully.

"no, kimball; i haven't seen mr. roper since morning, and don't know if he wants anything done."

"do you think you can spare me to go on shore for a couple of hours?"

"yes, you may go."

jed went to the side and said to the boatman, "you may take this man on shore, and come back in an hour and a half for my friend and myself.

[pg 277]

"now, percy, allow me to offer you a little refreshment."

jed went to the pantry and brought out some cold meat, bread and butter, and two bottles of ginger ale, with the necessary dishes.

"i can't offer you anything very tempting," he said, "but the boat ride may have given you an appetite for plain fare."

percy could hardly conceal his surprise. he stared at jed as if fascinated.

"won't you get into trouble by making so free with your master's things?"

"who told you i had a master?"

"who owns this yacht?"

"mr. schuyler roper."

"he must be rich."

"i hear that he is worth half a million dollars," said jed in an off-hand manner.

"and how did you get in with him?" asked percy rather enviously.

"it was an accident," answered jed, by no means disposed to tell percy the particulars of his first meeting with mr. roper.

"suppose he should come now, what would he say to your making so free?"

[pg 278]

"that he was glad to have me entertain my friends."

"you seem to be pretty sure of your footing with him."

"i have reason to be. he tells me to look upon him as an older brother."

"he may find you out some time," suggested percy with disagreeable significance.

"what do you mean?"

"he may find out that his younger brother was raised in a poorhouse."

"i have no doubt he will learn it if he gets acquainted with you."

"what do you mean?" asked percy coloring.

"that you would probably tell him. by the way, has mr. holbrook got home from chicago yet?"

"i believe not. do you expect he will take you back?"

"no; i prefer my present position. i shall probably sail for bar harbor with mr. roper on saturday."

"it's strange how you've got on since you left the poorhouse," said percy uncomfortably.

[pg 279]

"yes; i think even you will agree that i did well to leave it."

"your luck may turn," added percy hopefully.

"perhaps it will, but i hope not."

presently the boatman came back, and jed sent percy back to the city, paying the boatman in advance.

"it beats all how that pauper gets along!" reflected percy, but from his expression the reflection gave him no pleasure.