"Then I'll venture."

Ben jumped from the wagon, assisted the young lady in, and the two
drove into the village together. He liked his second passenger
considerably better than the first.




CHAPTER II
BEN AND HIS MOTHER


Ben Barclay, after taking leave of the tramp, lost no time in driving
to the grocery store where he was employed. It was a large country
store, devoted not to groceries alone, but supplies of dry-goods,
boots and shoes, and the leading articles required in the community.
There were two other clerks besides Ben, one the son, another the
nephew, of Simon Crawford, the proprietor.

"Did you collect any money, Ben?" asked Simon, who chanced to be
standing at the door when our hero drove up.

"Yes, sir; I collected twenty-five dollars, but came near losing it on
the way home."

"How was that? I hope you were not careless."

"No, except in taking a stranger as a passenger. When we got to that