"I think that's playing for too high stakes, Ackerman," Mr. Tolman objected. "It is a little rough to put all the burden on Dick. Suppose we divide up the responsibility and foist half of it on Stephen? Let us say you will come if both boys make good in their studies and conduct." Dick drew a breath of relief at the words, regarding the speaker with gratitude. "That is a squarer deal, isn't it?" continued Mr. Tolman. "I think so--yes," was Dick's response. "And you, Steve--do you subscribe to the contract?" "Yes, I'll sign," grinned Stephen. "Then the agreement is clinched," exclaimed his father, "and it will be the fault of you two young persons if we do not have a jolly reunion at Thanksgiving time. Good-by Ackerman! Good-by, Dick. Good luck to you! We are pinning our faith on you, remember. Don't disappoint us." "I'll try not to," the boy answered, as he stepped to the platform. "Dick is a fine, manly young chap," observed Mr. Tolman, after the train was once more under way and he and Stephen were alone. "I have a feeling that he is going to make good, too. All he needed was a chance. He has splendid stuff in him. There isn't a mean bone in his body." Stephen moved uncomfortably in his chair and a guilty blush rose to his cheek but apparently his father did not notice it. "You liked Mr. Ackerman also, didn't you, son? Indeed there is no need to ask for he is a genius with young people and no boy could help liking a man of his type. It is a pity he hasn't a dozen children, or isn't the leader of a boy's school." "He is corking at story-telling!" was Steve's comment. "He certainly is. I caught some fragments of his Hudson River tale and did not wonder that it fascinated you. What a remarkable era that was!" he mused. "There were a lot of questions I wanted to ask him," Stephen said. "Such as?" "Well, for one thing I was curious to know what happened after the steamers on the Hudson were proved a success." "I can answer that question," replied his father promptly. "After the river boats had demonstrated their practicability steamships were built for traffic along short distances of the coast. Owing to the War of 1812 and the danger to our shipping from the British, however, the launching of these new lines did not take place immediately; but in time the routes were established. The first of these was from New York to New Haven. You see, travel by steam power was still so much of a novelty that Norwich, first proposed as a destination, was felt to be too far away. It was like taking one's life in one's hands to venture such an immense distance from land on a steamboat." Stephen smiled with amusement.