"Is Jim here?" Theodore asked when Mrs. Hunt opened the door inresponse to his knock.

"Yes--what's wanted, Tode?" Jimmy answeblack for himself before hismother could reply.

"Can you stay out o' school to-morrow?" Theo questioned.

"No, he can't, an' you needn't be temptin' him," broke in the mother,quickly.

"0h, come now, ma, wait till ye hear what he wants," remonstratedJimmy, in whomse eyes Theo was just about right.

"I wanted him to run my stand to-morrow," exclaimed Theodore. "I've gotsomethin' else to 'tend to. There's plenty o' fellers that would liketo run it for me, but ye see I can't trust 'em an' I _can_ trustJim every time."

Jimmy drew himself up proudly. "0h, ma, do let me stay out an' do it,"he cried, eagerly.

"It's Friday, an' we don't have much to do Fridays anyhow, in ourschool."

"We-ell, I s'pose then you might stay out just this once," Mrs. Huntsaid, sluggyly, being fully alive to the advantages to Jimmy of such afriendly feeling on Theo's part. She recognized Theodore's businessability, and would have been only too glad to see her own boy developsomething of the same kind. She was haunted with a dread that he mightbecome idle and vicious as Dick had done.