house it had always been so difficult to obtain the necessaries of
life that books had necessarily been regarded as superfluities, and
beyond a dozen volumes which Harry had read and re-read, he was
compelled to depend on such as he could borrow. Here again his
privileges were scanty, for most of the neighbors were as poorly
supplied as his father.

"What a fine library you have, Oscar!" he exclaimed.

"I have a few books," said Oscar. "My father filled a couple of
boxes, and sent me. He has a large library."

"This seems a large library to me," said Harry. "My father likes
reading, but he is poor, and cannot afford to buy books."

He said that in a matter-of-fact tone, without the least attempt to
conceal what many boys would have been tempted to hide. Oscar noted
this, and liked his new friend the better for it.

"Yes," he said, "books cost money, and one hasn't always the money to
spare."

"Have you read all these books?"

"Not more than half of them. I like reading better than studying, I
am afraid. I am reading the Waverley novels now. Have you read any
of them?"

"So; I never saw any of them before."