“Better than I expected.”

“I had no idea of seeing you till to-morrow night; and I thought you would have books enough to begin the next week with.  You have done bravely.”

“If I had had twenty more, I could have sold them before to-morrow night.  Now, sir, if you please, I will pay you for those books—­thirty-three dollars and fifty cents.”

“You had better keep that, Bobby.  I will trust you as long as you wish.”

“If you please, sir, I had rather pay it;” and the little merchant, as proud as a lord, handed over the amount.

“I like your way of doing business, Bobby.  Nothing helps a man’s credit so much as paying promptly.  Now tell me some of your adventures—­or we will reserve them till this evening, for I am sure Ellen will be delighted to hear them.”

“I think I shall go to Riverdale this afternoon.  The cars leave at half past five.”

“Very well; you have an hour to spare.”

Bobby related to his kind friend the incidents of his excursion, including his interview with Colonel Whiting and his niece, which amused the bookseller very much.  He volunteered some good advice, which Bobby received in the right spirit, and with a determination to profit by it.

At half past five he took the cars for home, and before dark was folded in his mother’s arms.  The little black house seemed doubly dear to him now that he bad been away from it a few days.  His mother and all the children were so glad to see him that it seemed almost worth his while to go away for the pleasure of meeting them on his return.

CHAPTER XII.

In which Bobby astonishes sundry persons and pays part of his note.

“Now tell me, Bobby, how you have made out,” said Mrs. Bright, as the little merchant seated himself at the supper table.  “You cannot have done much, for you have only been gone five days.”

“I have done pretty well, mother,” replied Bobby, mysteriously; “pretty well, considering that I am only a boy.”

“I didn’t expect to see you till to-morrow night.”

“I sold out, and had to come home.”

“That may be, and still you may not have done much.”

“I don’t pretend that I have done much.”

“How provoking you are!  Why don’t you tell me, Bobby, what you have done?”

“Wait a minute, mother, till I have done my supper, and then I will show you the footings in my ledger.”

“Your ledger!”

“Yea, my ledger.  I keep a ledger now.”

“You are a great man, Mr. Robert Bright,” laughed his mother.  “I suppose the people took their hats off when they saw you coming.”

“Not exactly, mother.”

“Perhaps the governor came out to meet you when he heard you was on the road.”

“Perhaps he did; I didn’t see him, however.  This apple pie tastes natural, mother.  It is a great luxury to get home after one has been travelling.”