“How's that?”
“Turned over a new leaf. The late H. M. Pearl is now H. M. Pearl, Esquire. This is my friend. His name is—”
“Heron,” I said.
“Not Cricket Heron?” the stranger asked.
I nodded.
“Don't you remember coming to my store at Heartsdale one Christmas eve?”
“And you said you would keep track of me?”
“Yes. I moved down the river long ago, and I've been thinking for a month that I would go and have a talk with you and your mother. I want a clerk, and if you wish to learn a good business I'll take you in.”
Well, he showed me through the store, and I was much elated, and told about the child ghost and all the details of my straying that Christmas eve, and showed them my horruck, and Mr. Pearl sat down to study it. .
“I shall have to go,” I said, as he reluctantly surrendered the coin; “good-bye.”