As the man turned the book over in his hand he inquired: "Did you open it?" Then a little ashamed of the question continued: "Of course you had to open it, otherwise you wouldn't have known to whom it belonged. Now see here Alfred, I want to do the right thing by you. I will call at your house tonight. I want to meet your mother; your father I am well acquainted with. Your Uncle Will has told me that he is too hard on you and you're a dam nice boy and you ought to be treated right." At this insinuation Alfred fired up. "My father always treats me right, but I've been a pretty bad boy. He has his notions and I've got mine. He never hits a lick amiss. He never hurts me when he does whip me. It's always a big laugh to me. He's the kindest pap in Brownsville." "Oh, you did not understand me. I did not mean to say that your father whipped you. I heard that he did not give you credit for your--your, that he--he--er hampered you in your--your--er--." "Oh, I understand pap," interrupted Alfred, "he's all right, we get along all right." Then Mr. Thornton made inquiries as to where Alfred was going. When the boy informed him, he said: "That's too far to walk; come on out to the stable, I'll loan you a horse. You can ride him home and I will get him tonight." They walked toward the white mare. Alfred asked what kind of a saddler she was. "Good," answered the man, "would you like to try her?" "Why, yes, if it's all the same to you." By this time Alfred was shortening the stirrup straps to the length of his limbs as measured by his arms. Alfred's thinking gear was working faster than the white mare's hoofs ever pounded the earth. As he was about to mount he said: "Mr. Thornton, I'll bring this mare home. I don't want to trouble you to call at our house." [Illustration: Joe Thornton and Alfred] "Why? I want to see your parents and I want to reward you." Alfred, sitting on the horse's back, leaned far over toward the man and detailed the sad results of his first venture in minstrelsy. "Whatever you give me will be applied on the payment of my debts. If our folks know that you gave me money they'll want to know what I did with it." The man grasped the situation, but informed Alfred the money in the book belonged to his mother. He had withdrawn it from the bank to pay a note. He would help Alfred out but must go to town before he could do so. "From whom did you borrow money," asked Mr. Thornton. Alfred hesitated and said: "Well, there's where I made another promise not to tell, but I'm going to tell you, I borrowed it from Sammy Steele." "Well, I'll be damned if you ain't a good one. Why, Sammy Steele is the tightest man in Brownsville. How did you come to go to him?" Alfred explained all. Mr. Thornton insisted that he ride the white mare home, adding that he would get her that night. Alfred rode off, visiting not only the school-house but many old friends. He arrived home as it was growing dark.