“She’s left it to you,” was the unexpected reply, “You was the nearest relation she had, and it was her wish that whatever was left should go to you.”

“I’m very much obliged to her.  I didn’t expect anything.  I had almost forgotten I had a great-aunt.”

“The money has been sent to me, Joe,” continued the deacon.  “I’m ready to pay it over to you when you want it, but I hope you won’t spend it foolish.”

“I don’t think I shall, Deacon Goodwin.”

“It wouldn’t take long to spend it, Joe,” said the deacon.  “Do you want me to keep it for you?”

“I don’t know,” said Joe; “I haven’t had time to think.  I’ll come round to-night and see you.”

“Very well, Joseph.  G’lang, Dobbin!” and the deacon started his old horse, who had completed his quarter century, along the road.

Oscar had listened, not without interest, to the conversation.  Though he was the son of a rich man, he had not at command so large a sum as his father’s hired boy had fallen heir to.  On the whole, he respected Joe rather more than when he was altogether penniless.

“You’re in luck, Joe,” said he graciously.

“Yes,” said Joe.  “It’s very unexpected.”

“You might buy yourself a new suit of clothes.”

“I don’t intend to do that.”

“Why not?  You were wishing for one yesterday.”

“Because it is your father’s place to keep me in clothes.  That’s the bargain I made with him.”

“Perhaps you are right,” said Oscar.

“I’ll tell you what you can do,” he said, after a pause.

“What?”

“You might buy a boat.”

“I shouldn’t have any time to use it.”

“You might go out with it in the evening.  I would look after it in the daytime.”

No doubt this arrangement would be satisfactory to Oscar, who would reap all the advantage, but Joe did not see it in a favorable light.

“I don’t think I should care to buy a boat,” he said.

“What do you say to buying a revolver?”

“I think it would be better to put it on interest.”

“You’d better get the good of it now.  You might die and then what use would the money be?”

On the way to the deacon’s Joe fell in with Seth Larkin.

“Well, my boy, where are you bound?” asked Seth.

“To collect my fortune,” said Joe.

Seth asked for an explanation and received it.

“I’m glad for you and I wish it were more.”

“So do I,” said Joe.

“What for?  Anything particular?”

“Yes; if it was enough, I would go to California.”

“And you really want to go?”

“Yes.  I suppose fifty dollars wouldn’t be enough?”

“No; it wouldn’t,” said Seth; “but I’ll tell you what you could do.”

“What?”

“Go to New York and keep yourself till you got a chance to work your passage round the Horn.”