"You see I've got back, Mr. Armstrong," he said, advancing with a smile.

 

"Welcome home, Luke!" exclaimed the merchant heartily¹, grasping our hero's hand cordially.

 

"I hope you are satisfied with me," said Luke.

 

"Satisfied! I ought to be. You have done yourself the greatest credit. It is seldom a boy of your age exhibits such good judgment² and discretion³."

 

"Thank you, sir," said Luke gratefully. "I was obliged to spend a good deal of money," he added, "and I have arrived in New York with only three dollars and seventy-five cents in my pocket."

 

"I have no fault to find with your expenses," said Mr. Armstrong promptly⁴. "Nor would I have complained if you had spent twice as much. The main thing was to succeed, and you have succeeded."

 

"I am glad to hear you speak so," said Luke, relieved. "To me it seemed a great deal of money. You gave me two hundred dollars, and I have less than five dollars left. Here it is!" and Luke drew the sum from his pocket, and tendered it to the merchant.

 

"I can't take it," said Mr. Armstrong. "You don't owe me any money. It is I who am owing you. Take this on account," and he drew a roll of bills from his pocketbook and handed it to Luke. "Here are a hundred dollars on account," he continued.

 

"This is too much, Mr. Armstrong," said Luke, quite overwhelmed with the magnitude of the gift.

 

"Let me be the judge of that," said Mr. Armstrong kindly⁵. "There is only one thing, Luke, that I should have liked to have you do."

 

"What is that, sir?"

 

"I should like to have had you bring me a list of the numbers

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