dollars, and a letter expressing the professor's complete satisfaction
at having obtained the fine specimens. When he returned to Oakvale
again, Mrs. Kenyon went with him, in his care.

The parting of mother and son was a tearful one, though Ralph,
choking down the big lump in his throat, tried manfully to cheer
his mother with every hope of recovery.

"It won't be very long before you're home again and everything'll
seem wonderful and bright and new to you, mother," he said. "And
don't you worry about me, for I'm getting along fine. I can hobble
around quite spry with this crutch. And Tom and Arthur are on deck,
you know. We'll behave ourselves and not get into any mischief,
and by the time you're home again we'll have done all the planting.
Good-bye, good-bye! I'll write to you every day."




CHAPTER VI

A NOCTURNAL VISITOR


Tom Sherwood threw out his arms and yawned loudly. "I'm sleepy," he
mumbled. "Guess I'll turn in, if you fellows are going to sit up
much longer."

"Good idea, Tom," commented Ralph, looking up from the letter he
was writing. "You've been making a holy show of yourself for the