“I think we’ve brought it back in fine condition, sir,” replied Dick, and he spoke the truth.  “The wagon looks better, Mr. Titmouse, than you had expected to see it.”

“You owe me about five dollars for extra wear and tear,” insisted the money-loving Mr. Titmouse.

But he didn’t get the money.  Again Dick Prescott turned out to be an excellent business man.  Dick was most courteous, but he refuted all of Mr. Titmouse’s claims for extra payment, in the end even such a money-grubber as Mr. Newbegin Titmouse gave up the effort to extort more money for the use of his wagon than was his due.  He even used his lantern to light the boys through the dark side alley to the street where the trolley car ran.

Two or three times after this Dick and his friends heard from Tom Drake.  That young workman never repeated his earlier error.  In time he paid for his home, then began the saving of money for other purposes.  To-day Drake owns his own machine shop and is highly prosperous.

Old Reuben Hinman lingered many days between life and death.  At last he recovered, and in time was discharged from the hospital.

However, his first attempts to run the peddler’s wagon again revealed the fact that the peddler’s days on the road were over.  He was no longer strong enough for the hard outdoor life.

Timothy Hinman and his sisters came forward when the Overseers of the Poor began to look into the peddler’s affairs.  These dutiful children wanted to be sure to obtain whatever might be their share of their father’s belongings.

Timothy and his sisters obtained their full shares—–­nothing.

The Overseers of the Poor found that they could effect an arrangement by which the peddler’s home, his horse and wagon, stock and good will could be sold for four thousand dollars.

This was done.  With half the money Reuben Hinman was able to purchase his way into a home for old men.  Here he will be maintained, without further expense, as long as he lives, and he will live in a degree of comfort amounting, with this simple-minded ex-peddler, to positive luxury.

The other two thousand dollars, at the suggestion of the Overseers of the Poor, was spent in buying an annuity from a life insurance company.  This annuity provides ample spending money for Reuben Hinman whenever, in fine weather, he wishes to go forth from the home and enjoy himself in the world at large.

Timothy has been forced to go to work as a valet.  The daughters tearfully support themselves as milliners.  Reuben Hinman long ago spent the ten dollars received from Lawyer Stark.

The tramp who accepted work from Dr. Hewitt made good in every sense of the word.  In fact he did so well that, in time, he took unto himself a wife and is now the head of a family, which lives in a little cottage built on Dr. Hewitt’s estate.  The name of “Jim Joggers” has given way to the real name of that former knight of the road.  However, as the man is sensitive about his idle past, we prefer to remember him as “Joggers.”