His mother did not like the idea of his changing his name.

“It looks as if you had something to be ashamed of,” she said.

“But I haven’t, mother.”

“Generally, only criminals who are engaged in breaking the laws change their names,” persisted Mrs. Gordon.

“Do you think, mother,” laughed Andy, “that changing my name will make me a law-breaker?”

“No, Andy; but——”

“But, mother, it seems to be necessary. That man Brackett knows that uncle Simon has relations, and it is likely that he knows our name. If I should appear as Andy Gordon he would know the name, and be suspicious of me, so that I could not help uncle at all.”

Mrs. Gordon had to admit that Andy was right.

“I suppose it must be, then,” she said. “What name have you thought of?”

“I have not thought of any yet, but it can’t be very hard to find one. Names are plenty enough.”

This was true. Still, after suggesting a{157} dozen, Andy seemed no nearer a choice than he had been in the first place.

“I’ll tell you what, mother,” he said at last. “Haven’t you an old paper here, somewhere?”

One was found.

“I am going to find a name somewhere in this paper,” said Andy, and forthwith he began to examine critically the crowded columns.

He paused at a paragraph, recording¹ the bravery of a boy named Henry Miller², who had saved a younger boy from drowning, somewhere in Massachusetts. This struck Andy favorably.

“Mother,” he said, “let me introduce myself to you as Henry Miller.”

“Do you like the name?” asked his mother, doubtfully.

“Not particularly, but it is the name of a brave boy, and so is an honorable name. I shouldn’t like a bad name, like Benedict Arnold, for instance.”

“What did Henry Miller do?”

“He saved a boy from drowning.”

So it was decided³ that Andy, as soon as he left Hamilton, should be known as Henry Miller.

He had, as we know, intended to buy a new suit of clothes, but as he was about to assume the character of a poor boy, wandering about the country in search of employment, that would hardly be worth while.{158}

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