“Will you promise to restore every cent due Leo?”
“Yes! yes! He shall have it all!”
“I only want what is due me,” said Leo.
“You shall have every cent—I swear it.”
After this Nathan Dobb was easy to handle. He told the whole story of the estate and how the money was invested.
All the necessary papers were turned over to Barton Reeve to be put into the hands of the court.
“A good day’s work,” said Reeve when he and Leo left the squire’s house. “You are now free and rich.”
“I hardly know myself,” replied Leo, and he told the plain truth.
It was not long after this that Leo came into possession of property which, later on, when times became better, proved to be worth nearly fifteen thousand dollars.
Barton Reeve was appointed his guardian until he should become of age. The great friendship between the man and the boy, so strangely begun, was never broken.