"It's been awfully lonely since you went away, Fred," said Albert.

 

"I have felt like Albert," said Mrs. Fenton. "But it was not that that worried me most. I was afraid you might meet with some accident."

 

"I've come home safe and sound, mother, as you see. But you don't ask me whether I succeeded in my mission."

 

"I don't know what your mission was."

 

"No; it was a secret of Mr. Wainwright's, and I was bound to keep it secret. I can tell you now. I was sent to Canada to recover over ten thousand dollars' worth of stolen bonds."

 

Mrs. Fenton looked amazed.

 

"A boy like you!" she said.

 

"I don't wonder you are surprised. I was surprised myself."

 

"But who had the bonds, and how did you recover them?"

 

"Two men were in the conspiracy. One of them was sorry for the theft, and ready to help me. The other meant to keep them. He had taken them away from his partner and hidden them in the forest."

 

"And you found them?"

 

"Yes; sit down and I will tell you the story."

 

Fred did so, and when it was finished he added: "How much do you think Mr. Wainwright paid me for my trouble?"

 

"He ought to pay you handsomely."

 

"What would you consider paying me handsomely?"

 

"Fifty dollars," answered his mother.

 

"He gave me a thousand dollars!"

 

"A thousand!" ejaculated Mrs. Fenton, incredulous.

 

"Yes."

 

"Where's the money?" asked Albert.

 

"He gave it to me in a check. I shall collect it to-morrow, and invest it in some safe way."

 

"I can't realize it, Fred," said Mrs. Fenton. "Why, it will make us rich."

 

"But that isn't all. My salary is raised to twenty-five dollars a week."

 

"I never heard of such wages being given to a boy like you."

&nbs............