“Then maybe you would buy this one back from me at half price?  I have taken such care of it, that it is as good as new, you see.  Look at it for yourself.”

“Yes, I see it looks perfectly fresh; but here is some writing on the fly leaf; that would have to be torn out, you know; so that the book could never be sold as a new one again; I should have to sell it as a second hand one, at half price; that would be a dollar and a half, so that you see I would only give you a dollar for it.”

“Sir?” questioned Ishmael, in sad amazement.

“Yes; because you know, I must have my own little profit on it.”

“Oh, I see; yes, to be sure,” assented Ishmael, with a sigh.

But to part with his treasure and get no more than that!  It was like Esau selling his birthright for a mess of pottage.

However, the poor cannot argue with the prosperous.  The bargain was soon struck.  The book was sold and the boy received his dollar.  And then the dealer, feeling a twinge of conscience, gave him a dime in addition.

“Thank you, sir; I will take this out in paper and wafers, if you please.  I want some particularly,” said Ishmael.

Having received a half dozen sheets of paper and a small box of wafers, the lad asked the loan of pen and ink; and then, standing at the counter, he wrote a dozen circulars as follows: 

     FOUND, A POCKET-BOOK.

     On the Baymouth Turnpike Road, on Friday morning, I picked up a
     pocketbook, which the owner can have by coming to me at the Hill
     Hut and proving his property.

     Ishmael Worth.

Having finished these, he thanked the bookseller and left the shop, saying to himself: 

“I won’t keep that about me much longer to be a constant temptation and cross.”

He first went and bought a quarter of a pound of tea, a pound of sugar, and a bag of meal from Nutt’s general shop for Hannah; and leaving them there until he should have got through his work, he went around the village and wafered up his twelve posters at various conspicuous points on fences, walls, pumps, trees, etc.

Then he called for his provisions, and set out on his long walk home.

CHAPTER XXIV.

CLAUDIA TO THE RESCUE.

  Let me not now ungenerously condemn
    My few good deeds on impulse—­half unwise
    And scarce approved by reason’s colder eyes;
  I will not blame, nor weakly blush for them;
    The feelings and the actions then stood right;
  And if regret, for half a moment sighs
    That worldly wisdom in its keener sight
  Had ordered matters so and so, my heart,
  Still, in its fervor loves a warmer part
    Than Prudence wots of; while my faithful mind,
    Heart’s consort, also praises her for this;
  And on our conscience little load I find
    If sometimes we have helped another’s bliss,
  At some small cost of selfish loss behind.