"Thank you, Robert. Father has been telling me what a hero you were, and
it made me feel proud that you were a friend of mine."

Robert's face lighted with pleasure.

"You compliment me more than I deserve," he answered, modestly; "but it
gives me great pleasure to know that you think well of me."

"I am sure that there is no boy in Millville that would have dared to do
such a thing. Good-evening, Mrs. Rushton. Are you not proud of your
son?"

"He is a good son to me," said Mrs. Rushton, with a glance of affection.

"It is such a splendid thing he did. He will be quite a hero. Indeed, he
is one already. I've got a New York paper giving an account of the
whole thing. I brought it over, thinking you might like to read it."

She displayed a copy of a great city daily, in which full justice was
done to Robert's bravery. Our hero listened with modest pleasure while
it was being read.

"I don't deserve all that," he said.

"You must let us judge of that," said Hester. "But I have come this
evening, Mrs. Rushton, to ask you to take tea with us to-morrow evening,
you and Robert. You will come, won't you?"

Mrs. Rushton was pleased with this mark of attention, and after a slight
demur, accepted.