"I wish you were older, Andy," he began, abruptly.

 

"Why, sir?"

 

"Because I have a commission I could then intrust to you."

 

"Then I am too young for it now?"

 

"I am afraid so. And yet--but I will tell you what it is, and see if you consider yourself equal to it. How old are you now?"

 

"Seventeen, sir."

 

"I will explain myself. I am intimately acquainted with the men who are engineering the Northern Pacific Railroad, and I have reliable advices that work will at once be resumed on it, and probably the road will be completed in less than a year."

 

"I suppose this will raise the price of our land in Tacoma?"

 

"Precisely. Still, I think it will not be advisable to sell for some time to come. My object is rather to buy more land."

 

"I should think it would be a good idea."

 

"The time to buy is now, before the public learn of the probable early completion of the railroad. If I could spare the time from my business I would go out there at once."

 

"I should think it would pay, Mr. Crawford."

 

"Doubtless it would, but I cannot arrange to leave now. I expect to have some large transactions in real estate during the next two or three months."

 

"I see the difficulty, sir."

 

"I will come to the point. Do you think you could go to Tacoma, look carefully over the ground, and secure desirable lots for me?"

 

"I think I could, sir, under instructions from you."

 

"That is what I had in view when I said I wished you were older."

 

"You could, at any rate, rely upon my faithfully carrying out your instructions."

 

"I am sure of that, and I also have considerable confidence in your good judgment. At any rate, I will take the risk. What day is to-day?"

 

"Thursday."

 

"Make preparations to start on Monday. Can you do so?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Andy felt a thrill of delight at the prospect held out to him. He had always felt a strong desire to see the great West, but had realized that he should probably have to wait a good many years before his wish was gratified. It had been a dream, but now his dream bade fair to become actuality.

 

"I will prepare a general letter of instructions and make such suggestions as may occur to me," continued Mr. Crawford. "I will excuse you from office work for the balance of the week, in order that you may make the necessary preparations."

 

As the Northern Pacific road was not completed, it was decided that Andy should go to San Francisco by the Union Pacific and Central Pacific roads, and take steamer thence to Puget Sound.

 

"You can stay in San Francisco three days," said Mr. Crawford, considerately. "It will give you a chance to rest and see the city."

 

On Monday Andy started on his long journey. He wrote a brief letter to his mother, as follows:

 

"DEAR MOTHER: I am going West on some business for Mr. Crawford. I will write you on the way. You are at liberty to tell this to any one in Arden, but I don't care to have the extent of my journey known. You may think I am young for such a trip, but I have no fears. The business is important, but it is simple, and I hope to carry it through successfully.

 

In haste, your loving son,

 

ANDY."

 

 

However, Mrs. Grant was not the first one to hear of Andy's trip. It so happened that at the station Andy met Conrad Carter, who had just come into the city for a day.

 

"How do you happen to be here?" asked Conrad, in surprise.

 

"I am leaving the city."

 

"I suppose you are discharged and going home," remarked Conrad, loftily.

 

"No; I am going on some business for my employer."

 

"How far do you go?"

 

"My first stop will be Chicago."

 

Conrad was amazed.

 

"Is this straight?" he asked.

 

"Yes."

 

"You are going on business for the firm?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Mr. Crawford must be a fool."