"Tell me her name," asked his sister, with an air of inquisitive interest. "Sorry, but I couldn't think of giving away such a valuable secret." "Oh, I know--I know!" cried his sister, clapping her hands. "If you aren't the sly rogue! It's Madge Mason, the girl you've been talking so much about since you got home from your visit to her parents' home." "Well, keep it dark, sis," said Dick, with a flush. "Oh, I couldn't think of it. I must tell Nell and May and mother." "You tell them and I'll get square with you. The next time Mr. Peck calls I'll tell him how much you're stuck on him, and then maybe he'll get up spunk enough to propose to you." "You wouldn't dare, Richard Darling!" cried his sister, with a burning face. "I wouldn't? Well, say, you don't know me! It's up to you. Keep mum about Miss Mason and I'll be good; otherwise--you know what'll happen." Then Dick walked out of the room, satisfied that his sister would be as mute as a mop stick. CHAPTER VIII.--Dick Has His Fortune Told. We will pass over two years, during which Dick ceased to be an office boy and became one of the most gentlemanly clerks in Mr. Bacon's store. His knickerbockers disappeared the day after the conversation he had with his sister, as detailed in the previous chapter, and he made his appearance at the store in a new suit of clothes, which so changed him that the boss and clerks hardly recognized him at first. The change developed a new line of witticism on the part of his young friends, but Dick took the bull by the horns in so energetic a way that the funny lads shut up in short order. Dick now felt that he was a real man, except in years, and during the ensuing two years he deported himself along that line, and was made a clerk before the merchant had expected to raise him to that dignity; but the fact was when the knickerbockers went to the scrap heap Mr. Bacon decided that he looked too old to continue as his office boy, hence his promotion. During these two years Dick visited the Masons several times--spending the Christmas holidays with them twice, the Easter week-end once, and two weeks in each summer.