father's poverty, but most were very glad to associate with our
hero, and have him visit their homes. He was courteous to all, but
made--no secret of his preference for Frank Dunbar.

When Philip parted from Frank, and entered the humble dwelling which
had been his own and his father's home for years, there was a sense
of loneliness and desolation which came over him at first.

His father was the only relative whom he knew, and his death,
therefore, left the boy peculiarly, alone in the world. Everything
reminded him of his dead father. But he did not allow himself to
dwell upon thoughts that would depress his spirits and unfit him for
the work that lay before him.

He opened his father's desk and began to examine his papers. There
was no will, for there was nothing to leave, but in one compartment
of the desk was a thick wallet, which he opened.

In it, among some receipted bills, was an envelope, on which was
written, in his father's well-known hand:

"The contents of this envelope are probably of no value, but it will
be as well to preserve the certificate of stock. There is a bare
possibility that it may some day be worth a trifle."

Philip opened the envelope and found a certificate for a hundred
shares of the Excelsior Gold Mine, which appeared to be located in
California. He had once heard his father speak of it in much the
same terms as above.