since the time of which i am writing, over sixty years have passed, for it was in the year 1850 that tom made up his mind to leave home and seek a fortune. the papers were full of the new gold discoveries in the new country which had recently been added to the great republic. thousands were hurrying to the land of gold; men who had been unfortunate at home, or, though moderately well situated, were seized by the spirit of adventure. at considerable sacrifice many raised the means of[11] reaching the new el dorado, while others borrowed or appropriated the necessary sum. some, able to do neither, set out on a venture, determined to get there in some way.

in the weekly paper, to which mr. nelson had for years been a subscriber, tom had read a good deal about california. his youthful fancy had been wrought upon by the brilliant pictures of a land where a penniless man might, if favored by fortune, secure a competence in a twelvemonth, and he ardently wished that he, too, might have the chance of going there. it was a wish, but not an expectation. it would cost at least two hundred dollars to reach the pacific coast, and there was no hope of getting a tithe of that sum.

"if i could only go to california," thought tom, "i would make my way somehow; i would cheerfully work twelve hours a day. i don't see why a boy can't dig gold, as well as a man. if somebody would lend me money enough to get there, i could afford to pay high interest."

there was one man in wilton who might lend him the money if he would. that man was squire hudson. he always had money on hand in considerable quantities, and two hundred[12] dollars would be nothing to him. tom would not have dreamed of applying to him, however, but for a service which just at this time he was able to render the squire.

tom had been in search of huckleberries—for this was the season—when, in a narrow country road, not much frequented, his attention was drawn to an object lying in the road. his heart hounded with excitement when he saw that it was a well-filled pocketbook. he was not long in securing it.

opening the wallet, he found it was absolutely stuffed with bank-bills, some of large denomination. there were, besides, several papers, to which he paid but little attention. they assured him, however, as he had already surmised, that the wallet was the property of squire hudson.

"i wonder how much money there is here," thought tom, with natural curiosity.

he stepped into the woods to avoid notice, and carefully counted the bills. there were two hundred-dollar bills, and three fifties, and so many of smaller denominations that tom found the whole to amount to five hundred and sixty-seven dollars.

"almost six hundred dollars!" ejaculated[13] tom, in excitement, for he had never seen so much money before. "how happy should i be if i had as much money! how rich the squire is! he ought to be a happy man."

then the thought stole into our hero's mind, that the wallet contained nearly three times as much as he would need to take him to california.

"if it were only mine!" he thought to himself.

perhaps tom ought to have been above temptation, but he was not. for one little instant he was tempted to take out two hundred dollars, and then drop the wallet where he had picked it up. no one would probably find out where the missing money was. but tom had been too well brought up to yield to this temptation. not even the thought that he might, perhaps within a year, return the money with interest, prevailed upon him.

"it wouldn't be honest," he decided, "and if i began in that way i could not expect that god would prosper me. if that is the only way by which i can go to california i must make up my mind to stay at home."

so the question was settled in tom's mind. the money must be returned to the owner.[14] his pail was nearly full of huckleberries, but he postponed going home, for he felt that squire hudson would be feeling anxious about his loss, and he thought it his duty to go and return the money first of all. accordingly he made his way directly to the imposing residence of the rich man.

passing up the walk which led to the front door, tom rang the bell. this was answered by a cross-looking servant. she glanced at the pail of berries, and said quickly: "we don't want any berries, and if we did you ought to go round to the side door."

"i haven't asked you to buy any berries, have i?" said tom, rather provoked by the rudeness of the girl, when he had come to do the squire a favor.

"no, but that's what you're after. we have bought all we want."

"i tell you i didn't come here to sell berries," said tom independently; "i picked these for use at home."

"then what do you come here for, anyway, takin' up my time wid comin' to the door, when i'm busy gettin' supper?"

"i want to see squire hudson."

"i don't know if he's at home."[15]

"then you'd better find out, and not keep me waiting."

"i never see such impudence," ejaculated the girl.

"i mean what i say," continued tom stoutly. "i want to see the squire on important business."

"much business you have wid him!" said the girl scornfully.

tom by this time was out of patience.

"go and tell your master that i wish to see him," he said firmly.

"i've a great mind to slam the door in your face," returned bridget angrily.

"i wouldn't advise you to," said tom calmly.

a stop was put to the contention by an irritable voice.

"what's all this, hey? who's at the door, bridget?"

"a boy wid berries, sir."

"tell him i don't want any."

"i have told him, and he won't go."

"won't go, hey?" and squire hudson came out into the hall. "what's all this, i say? won't go?"

"i wish to see you, sir," said tom, undaunted. "i have told the girl that i didn't[16] come here to sell berries; but she objects to my seeing you."

squire hudson was far from an amiable man, and this explanation made him angry with the servant. he turned upon her fiercely.

"what do you mean, you trollop," he demanded, "by refusing to let the boy see me? what do you mean by your insolence, i say?"

bridget was overwhelmed, for the squire's temper was like a tornado.

"i thought he wanted to sell berries," she faltered.

"that isn't true," said tom. "i told you expressly that i picked the berries for use at home, and had none to sell."

"go back to the kitchen, you trollop!" thundered the squire. "you deserve to go to jail for your outrageous conduct."

bridget did not venture to answer a word, for it would only have raised a more violent storm, but retreated crestfallen to her own realm, and left our hero in possession of the field. she contented herself with muttering under her breath what she did not dare to speak aloud.

"you are tom nelson, are you not?" asked[17] the squire, adjusting his spectacles, and looking more carefully at the boy.

"yes, sir."

"have you any message from your father?"

"no, sir."

"then why did you come here to take up my time?" demanded the squire, frowning.

"i came to do you a service, squire hudson."

"you came—to—do—me—a—service?" repeated the squire slowly.

"yes, sir."

"you may as well come in," said the rich man, leading into the sitting-room.

tom followed him into a handsomely furnished room, and the two sat down opposite each other.