"Well, my visit is out."
"Nothing special to call you home?"
"Oh, I help father, and go to school when there is one."
"Well," said the old light-keeper, fixing his eyes on the boy, "how should you like to help to keep a lighthouse for three weeks?"
"Me?" said Dave eagerly.
"Yes, you. You know I have an assistant, Timothy Waters. He wants to be off on a vacation for three weeks, and I must have somebody to take his place. I want somebody who can work in there, sort of spry and handy. Now, I think you would do. How should you like it?"
"When do you want to know?"
"The last of this week."
"I will go home to-morrow and talk it over with the folks, and I can get you an answer by day after to-morrow."
"Yes, that will do."