When Mr. Follet and Mr. Polk came over to dinner the acquaintance of the two who had met that November day in the mountains was continued and Mr. Polk was greatly pleased to find that the boy was already “larnin’,” and astonished at the progress 76 which had been made during the summer. On the way back to the store he said to Mr. Follet:
“I’ve taken a great fancy to that boy; he ought to have a good education. I am all alone in the world and no good to anybody. If it’s all square with you, I’ll take that boy to the city with me this afternoon when I leave at four-thirty and put him in school somewhere.”
Mr. Follet was amazed and he hated to give up the boy who had become so useful, but after a moment’s thought, he said:
“I don’t see as I have anything to say about it. He just stopped here on his way to you, and you’ve come to him. You’ll have to take him if you want him, though I don’t see how under the canopee we’ll get along without him now.”
“That is just like you, Follet, straight always,” said the other warmly, and after a little the station-master went back to take the news to Steve. It startled them all and Mrs. Follet expressed her great regret in seeing the boy go, but she put his few little belongings in good order and prepared him to start off “clean and whole,” as she expressed it. Nancy looked on wide-eyed, and Steve got ready like one in a dream. He wrapped his small bundle of clothes in the fox skin, which Mr. Polk had asked him to take care of, and went over to the station.
At four-thirty the train rushed up. Mr. Polk led Steve into a beautiful plush-seated car and placed the boy where he could have a last look at his friends, for Mr. and Mrs. Follet and Nancy stood on the platform.
It was Nancy who held his eyes till the last moment, little Nancy with two big tears dropping down her cheeks. Steve’s throat ached unaccountably.