"Father!" exclaimed Jack. "All it cost me was catching a runaway team, and your bill against the miller! Crofield is better than the grocery business in New York!" "Listen!" said his father, smiling. "The tannery company traded me a lot of their stock for the rest of my back lot and for the rest of your gravel, and they tore down the blacksmith shop, and I traded their stock and some other things for the house where we live. I made your part good to you, with the land across the creek, and that's where the new village of Crofield is to be." "I didn't see a cent of money in any of those trades, but I've a thousand dollars laid up, and I'm only working in the railroad shop now, but I'm going into the hardware business. I wish you'd come back and come in with me. There's the store--rent free. We can sell plenty of tools, now that Crofield is booming!" "I've saved up seven hundred and fifty dollars," said Jack, "from my salary and commissions. I'll put that in. Gifford & Company'll send you things cheap. But, Father,--I belong in the city. I've seen hundreds of boys there who didn't belong there, but I do. Let's go back to the house. Bob and Jim--" "Well, maybe you're right," said his father, slowly. "Come, let us go home. Your mother has hardly been able to wait to see you." When they came in sight of the house, the stoop and the front gate were thronged with home-folk, but Jack could not see clearly for a moment. The sunshine, or something else, got into his eyes. Then there were pairs of arms, large and small, embracing him, and,--well, it was a happy time, and Mary was there and his mother, and the family were all together once more. "How you have grown!" said his aunt. "_How_ you have grown!" "I do wish you'd come home to stay!" exclaimed his mother. "Perhaps he will," said his father, and Mary had hardly said a word till then, but now it seemed to burst out in spite of her. "Oh Jack!" she said. "If I could go back with you, when you go! I could live with a sister of Mrs. Edwards. She's invited me to live with her for a whole year. And I could finish my education, and be really fit to teach. I've saved some money." "Mary!" answered Jack, "I can pay all the other expenses. Do come!" "Yes, you'd better go, Jack," said his father, thoughtfully. "I am sure that you are a city boy." That was a great vacation, but no trout were now to be caught in the Cocahutchie. The new store on the corner was to be opened in the autumn, and Jack insisted upon having it painted a bright red about the windows. There were visits to Mertonville, and there were endless talks about what Jack's land was going to be worth, some day. But the days flew by, and soon his time was up and he had to go back to the city. He and Mary went together, and they went down the Hudson River in the steamer "Columbia." Mr. Dudley Edwards, of Mertonville, went at the same time to attend to some law business, he said, in New York.