Why had Howard Minturn invited him to the grand birthday party? This was the question that puzzled Tip. Had he known the reason, it would have been like this: Mr. Minturn had never quite lost sight of Tip since the circus. He wanted to help him,--wanted to do it through his son; only he wanted the son to think that he did it himself. Knowing Howard pretty well, he said, when they were seated at breakfast that morning,-- "I've just been reading about a real hero." Howard longed to be a hero; he looked up eagerly. "Who was he, father? What did he do?" "He was a rich young man, and he had the courage to take for his friend a poor fellow who hadn't two cents to his name. To pay him, the time came when he was proud to be noticed by the great man who was once so low." This thought was still in Howard's mind when he walked with Ellis to school. So, when Ellis said, "There goes Tip Lewis; father thinks we boys ought to notice him; he is trying real hard now-a-days to behave himself, you know," it was easy for Howard to mingle Tip in with his thoughts. "Ellis," he said, after a moment's silence, "suppose I invite him to come to our house to-night? He's a splendid good fellow to have a game; never gets mad, you know." "S'pose he'd come?" asked Ellis. "Yes, of course; jump at the chance. _I'll do it_. Our boys will think it odd, I suppose; but I guess I have courage enough to do as I please." And Howard drew himself up proudly, and thought of his father's hero. So this was why Tip was invited to the birthday gathering at the grand house on the hill. Mrs. Lewis sewed, that afternoon, on his jacket, mending it up more neatly than ever before. She had said very little about this invitation, but she couldn't help feeling proud and gratified over it. It was certainly a wonderful jump for Tip, from mingling with the worst and lowest boys in town, to find himself taking a long stride, and reaching the very top. So Mrs. Lewis sewed, and Kitty, as she sat watching the needle fly back and forth, spoke her thoughts: "All of the boys down to Mr. Burrows' school wear white collars on their jackets." "Well," answered her mother snappishly, "what's that to me? S'posing they wear white _cats_ on their jackets, I could get him one just as easy as t'other." It was a sore subject with Mrs. Lewis. From her very heart she wished she could dress Tip in broadcloth to-day, just as fine as that which Howard Minturn himself wore, and a collar so white and shiny that it would fairly dazzle the eyes of the others to look upon it; but, since she was so powerless to do what she would, it made her cross. The bedroom door was open, and Tip's father heard. By and by, when his cough was quieter, he called, "Kitty!" and the little girl went in to him. "Is the jacket fixed, Kitty?" "Yes." "Does it look nice?" "Some." "Would you like to find a collar for Tip to wear?" "Well enough," said Kitty wonderingly.