counsel you, and if I can be of any help--"'

"You are very good, sir!"

The young man spoke bitterly. His gorge was rising. It was not
easy to suppress his vexation with his mother, and the indignation
which he felt at the supercilious approaches of the agent whom she
had employed. Besides, his mind, not less than his feelings, was
rising in vigor in due degree with the pressure put upon it.

"You are very good, sir, and I am very much obliged to you. I
could have wished, however, that my mother had not given you this
trouble, sir. She certainly must have been thinking of Mr. John
Cross. She could scarcely have hoped that any good could have
resulted to me, from the counsel of one who is so little older than
myself."

This speech made our adventurer elevate his eyebrows. He absolutely
stopped short to look upon the speaker. William Hinkley stopped
short also. His eye encountered that of Stevens with an expression
as full of defiance as firmness. His cheeks glowed with the generous
indignation which filled his veins.

"This fellow has something in him after all," was the involuntary
reflection that rose to the other's mind. The effect was, however,
not very beneficial to his own manner. Instead of having the effect
of impressing upon Stevens the necessity of working cautiously,
the show of defiance which he saw tended to provoke and annoy him.
The youth had displayed so much propriety in his anger, had been
so moderate as well as firm, and had uttered his answer with so