"Yes, I would, and I meant to if you hadn't got the start of me. You'll excuse the liberty I took," said the miner.
"Oh, yes, certainly."
"I'm a rough miner, but——"
"You are a kind-hearted man. You may hereafter have it in your power to help the boy."
"So I can," and the miner retreated to his seat.
Arrived at the Erie depot, Fred found his little brother waiting for him.
"Oh, Fred," he said, "I hope you've got money for the rent. The landlord said he would turn us out at seven o'clock if we didn't pay."
"And I am a little late," said Fred, anxiously.
"Let me go with you!" said the miner, "I want to see what sort of a critter your landlord is. The mean scoundrel! It would do me good to shake him out of his boots."
Zebulon Mack and his assistant had just succeeded in placing the bureau on the sidewalk when Fred and his mining friend turned the corner of the street.