"I tell you what it is, George," Ray said, as they drew near the house, "I am coming up to the village to-morrow evening, and will come on down home for a while. We'll then talk these matters over, and see what the outlook for you is. But give yourself no anxiety as to the future. I told you long ago I stood ready to help you. The trouble is, you in your unselfishness have wanted to carry this burden alone, and I selfishly have allowed you to do it. Ten mouths are a good many to satisfy, and for the next month you must let me bear the whole burden."
"But you know you have helped me already, Ray," said George, "and I knew how anxious you were to go to some good school this fall, so I tried to get through with the burden as well as I could, without letting you know about it."
"You great big unselfish brother!" replied Ray, tears coming into his eyes. "I shall help you, nevertheless. God can provide a way for me to go to school, if that is his will."
After dinner, Ray accompanied George back to the boat, wheeling on a barrow two bushels of nice potatoes. Having placed them in the dory, he handed George two dollars, saying: "This is all I have by me now, but it will last you over to-morrow. I will get more of Mr. Woodhull when he comes home this evening, and to-morrow night I will bring you enough to pay your rent and keep you running until the mill starts up. If anything prevents that, we'll see what else we can find for you to do."
George wrung the generous boy's hand until he winced with the pain, and then, entering his boat, pulled with a light heart off toward home.
The next evening a high wind was blowing directly down the bay, and heavy clouds covered the sky; so Ray drove around to the village. Putting his horse under one of the First Church sheds, he did his errands, and then walked on down to the Forge.
George and he were soon so busy talking over the family affairs, and the prospect of the mills starting up, that he took no notice of the lapse of time, and was surprised when the clock struck eleven.
"Well, George," he said, on rising to go, "if the mills start up on the first of November, I should accept the position Mr. Bacon has offered you. It is your right, and I should leave the result to God. Possibly this threatening of Hyde and the others is all bluster, and if they find that they cannot intimidate the corporation, they will back down, as they did in July. I heard up at the village that the managers knew where they could get all the men they wanted, and that they really intended to start in November with a full force."
"I hope it may prove so," answered George, "but father was in this noon, and he declared the mills would never start again. He is thick with Hyde and Willis, and ought to know what they are about."
"Time alone can tell," replied Ray, "but here is the money I promised." And he handed George thirty dollars, and his three sisters and Betsy five dollars each. "I have some more yet which I have saved, and you shall have every dollar of it if necessary." And to avoid their profuse thanks he hurried out of the house.