“Never mind, I’ll fix him as soon as I have time,” he said to himself.

“Back so soon?  Is the auction over!” asked his friend, Frank Dunbar, who was engaged in splitting wood in the rear of the house.

“No, Frank, not quite; but it’s almost over..Who do you think bid on father’s gold watch?”

“I don’t know.”

“Nick Holden.”

“He didn’t get it, did he?”

“I am glad to say not.  Your father bought it.”

“Did he!  Why, he’s got one watch already.”

“I am glad he’s got it.  I couldn’t bear to think of Nick Holden carrying my father’s watch.  He was disappointed about one thing besides.”

“What was that?”

“The violin.  He went to Squire Pope, and complained that it was not in the sale.”

“That’s just like his impudence.  What did the squire say?”

“He came to me and ordered me to get it, so that it might be sold.”

“Shall I get it for you, then?”

“Not much!” answered Philip emphatically.  “It is mine, as I have already told you.  If the auction doesn’t bring in enough to settle up everything, I may agree to sell it for a fair price; but I am sure, from the prices, that it won’t be necessary.”

“Squire Pope’s a dreadful obstinate man,” said Frank doubtfully.  “He may insist upon your selling the violin.”

“Let him do it!” said Philip contemptuously.  “I should like to see him get it.  Where have you put it, Frank?”

“Where Squire Pope won’t be apt to find it—­in an old chest up in the garret.  It’s full of old clothes, belonging to my grandfather, and hasn’t been looked into by any one except me for years.  I put it away under all the clothes at the bottom.  No one knows where it is except you and me, not even mother.”

“That’s good.  I guess we can defy the squire, then.”

Half an hour later, Mr. Dunbar came home from the auction.

Philip went to meet him.

“Thank you for buying father’s watch,” he said.  “But for you, Nick Holden would have had it, and I should have been sorry for it.”

“He was badly disappointed,” said Mr. Dunbar smiling.  “But I didn’t buy the watch for myself, Philip.”

“For whom, then?” asked Philip, in some surprise.

“For the one that has the best right to it—­for you,” and the farmer took the watch from his pocket, and handed it to Philip.

“But I haven’t the money to pay for it, Mr. Dunbar,” said our hero.

“Then I give it to you as a present,” said Mr. Dunbar.

“I am very grateful,” said Philip; “but I ought not to accept it.  You are too kind to me.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

“Besides, it wouldn’t be safe for me to take it.  Squire Pope will try to get my violin away from me in order to sell it, and he would be sure to try to do the same by the watch if he found that I had it.”

“But, Philip, I don’t need the watch myself.”