“Samuel Polk,” he said slowly.
The auditor smiled, and replied pleasantly, “That’s my name, son, and where did you ever know me?”
“Ye sent me the watch,” said the boy.
“Is that so!” exclaimed Mr. Polk. “So you are the boy I met in the woods! Well, this is marvellous, sure, that we should meet here. How did you 75 ever get so far away from Hollow Hut?” he went on smiling.
The boy told him briefly, while Mr. Follet listened with lively interest. When the pitiful tale of the loss of the watch was told, Steve added sturdily:
“But I got yer fox skin in spite of ’em, an’ I’ve been a-workin’ to git to the city to give it ter ye.”
“Working to take the skin to me when you have no watch,” said the auditor, gently.
“Course,” said the boy; “hit was yourn jes’ the same,” and the auditor reached out and drew the boy to him tenderly, thinking of all the hardship he had borne in the effort to be square and honest.
“You are the boy for me,” he said with a glimmer in his eyes that made Steve feel queer, and he broke away, saying, “I’ll go and brung ye the skin.”
He was back as quickly as his sturdy legs could bring him, and laid the fox skin on Mr. Polk’s knee. It was gravely accepted and admired, and then Steve returned to his work with all the earnestness he could summon after the excitement of this unexpected meeting.