Peaches’ remedy worked wonders, as morning revealed. Barry was fortunate in having but two recitations that day, and, as he had not prepared for them the evening before, he was glad that both came late. Breakfast over, he went back to the house in company with Zo. Zo was in a fairly hectic mood and discussed football all the way. “Mr. Banks won’t let me off to-morrow,” he announced dismally, “and I’ll miss the first quarter of the game, sure. I don’t see why he can’t cut one lesson!” Back in his room, Barry set his books out and drew up to the old desk. He was still indulging in certain fidgeting preliminaries to concentration when the squeak of the gate brought him to his feet so that he could command a view of the sidewalk. It was not Peaches entering, however, but Mr. Benjy sallying forth for his first visit to the freight-office since his illness. He had on a shabby but warm overcoat and walked with an almost buoyant stride. Barry thrust the window up and hailed him. “Hello, Mr. Benjy! Gee! it’s good to see you up and around, sir! How are you feeling?” Mr. Benjy turned, waved a hand, and smiled with pleasure. “Good morning, Barry! I am feeling quite――er――quite myself again. Yes, I may say that the rest has done me good, I think. I feel extraordinarily――er――fit.” “Well, take care of yourself, sir. Don’t throw too much freight around!” It was Peaches’ fiction that Mr. Benjy handled all the freight, personally and exclusively. Mr. Benjy chuckled at the ancient jest, nodded, waved with something of an air, and set out along the sidewalk, his shoulders thrust back and his head high. Mr. Benjy had assumed his militant attitude. Barry smiled after him and then, closing the window, settled back in his chair. “Sort of a dear,” he reflected. “Hard lines to have to work as hard as he does and then give most of his pay to those factory men! I suppose Davy will be getting out to-night.” Half an hour passed. Then the need of a fresh scratch-pad caused him to pull open the second drawer at his side. It wasn’t the right one, however, for in returning the drawers to their places, two nights before, he had, it appeared, got them mixed. He was about to close it again and open the one below, when his eyes were attracted to an unfamiliar object lying on top of the other contents. He lifted it perplexedly and turned it over and back again. It was an oblong fold of heavy paper. In large engraved letters appeared the words: “Northern Counties Light and Power Company.” Beneath he read, “$1,000.” He might have read more, but he didn’t. Instead he hurriedly, unbelievingly unfolded the crackling document. Of course it wasn’t really a bond. It couldn’t be, because if it was, how had it got into his desk? But it was. It said so in much detail, and there, below, in serried ranks, were dozens of little yellow coupons! Barry stared dazedly. CHAPTER XXI A MYSTERY SOLVED