"I certainly do, my boy," answered the president, heartily enjoying his delight. "I cannot promise to take you to all your dream-countries but you shall see some of them. It all rests with your mother. If she gives her consent you shall go." Mrs. Jackson's answer was ready. While Mr. Coddington had been speaking she, with woman's intuition, had leaped forward to the coming question and had decided upon her reply. Her one thought was for her boy. She did not permit a consideration of self to bar his way. "I am only too glad to give my consent, Mr. Coddington," she said firmly. "It is a great opportunity for Nat, and his mother would be the last person to allow him to refuse it. Of course he shall go." Then the significance of her words broke upon Nat. He flushed. He was mortified to realize that in his enthusiasm his thought had been only for himself and his own pleasure. For an instant his face fell. Then he sprang to his mother's side and throwing his arms about her exclaimed: "Of course I shall not go, mother. Go, and leave you here all by yourself! I guess not! I did not think at first that my going would mean that. It was very good of you, Mr. Coddington, to ask me, but nothing would hire me, sir, to leave my mother." "Oh, you would not be leaving me for long, dear," argued his mother, crushing the boy's cheek against her own and hurriedly dashing away a tear. "Why, people go back and forth across the ocean every day. It is not--not far--very far. You could write to me often and before you or I knew it you would be back at home again." The trembling voice gained steadiness. "Why, it would be nothing at all, Nat! And think of all the stories you would have to tell me! While you were away I could get books and read about the places you were seeing and----" "I never shall leave you here alone, mother, never!" repeated Nat. "But we do not mean to have you leave your mother, Nat dear," Mrs. Coddington said. "You have not waited to hear the end of our plan. Your mother is to go too. She is to be my guest on the trip. Oh, yes, Mrs. Jackson. That is the other part of our plan. I shall be very forlorn while these three leather makers are rushing about among the tanneries and warehouses. They won't want to take me with them--nor am I at all sure I should care to go if they did. So I am depending for my pleasure on your companionship, you see." With charming grace she bent forward and put her hand pleadingly on Mrs. Jackson's. "You won't refuse Peter's mother this favor, will you?" she begged. Mrs. Jackson covered the hand with her own slender one and when she answered her voice quivered with emotion.