There was a hurried step heard in the hall, and the door opening quickly Henry Taylor rushed in, his face beaming with smiles.

“Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Henry!” said Jennie, embracing him. “I missed you awfully¹.”

Henry looked at his father, a little doubtful of his reception.

“Are you well, father?” he asked.

“Quite well,” responded Mr. Taylor coolly. “Where did you leave your scalps?”

“What?” ejaculated Henry, bewildered.

“I thought you left home to kill Indians.”

“Oh!” said Henry, smiling faintly. “I didn't meet any Indians—except one—and he was friendly.”

“Then your expedition was a failure?”

“I guess I'll leave the Indians alone,” said Henry sheepishly.

“That strikes me as a sensible remark. Of course, a few Indian scalps would be of great use to you. I fully² expected a present of one, as a trophy³ of my son's valor⁴; but still, in case the Indian objected to being scalped, there might be a little risk in performing the operation.”

“I see you are laughing at me, father,” said Henry.

“Not at all. You can see that I am very sober. If you think you can make a good living hunting Indians—I don't know myself how much their scalps bring in the market—I might set you up in the business.”

“I am not so foolish as I was. I prefer some other business. Philip told me—”

“Where is Philip?” asked Jennie eagerly.

“I left him in the parlor⁵. He said I had better come in first.”

“Go and call him. Invite him, with my compliments, to stay to dinner.”

Henry left the room, and reappeared almost immediately with Philip.

Both boys were perfectly⁶ neat in appearance, for Philip had insisted on going to a hotel and washing and

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