Independence
Orphaned at an early age, Philip Gray is a young man who would ordinarily be incapable of supporting himself or continuing his education. His father leaves him a few assets of dubious worth, and much of his estate is liquidated to pay his bills. Accordingly, early in the book, the evil Squire Pope tries to have Philip put into the almshouse run by Mr. Joe Tucker and his family.
Unbeknownst to Squire Pope, Philip has a special skill that allows him to feed and support himself: he is a musician. He has been studying the violin for two or three years and has enough skill to play his father's violin well enough to be paid. This means that he is not in fact destitute and is capable of supporting himself.
Unlike the other denizens of the Tucker almshouse, who genuinely cannot support themselves, Philip resists the idea of living at public expense. He has a burning desire to do as a man does, and earn money through honest work. Over the course of the book, Philip succeeds not only in supporting himself as an itinerant fiddler but in rescuing and supporting a young runaway named Henry Taylor, whom he returns to his wealthy and grateful family in New York.
Material reward for honest risk taking and effort
Throughout the novel, Philip is unafraid to take risks in order to help others. He and his friend Frank rescue Farmer Lovett, who is being attacked. As a gesture of kindness, Farmer Lovett gives Philip fifty dollars-- a princely sum that helps him out of financial distress after he is cheated by Lorenzo Riccaboca. Philip behaves graciously to an Indian man who terrifies Henry, and is rewarded with a safe night's sleep. At the end of the novel, after taking the time and effort to return Henry to his family in New York, the grateful Alexander Taylor (Henry's father) agrees to pay for Philip's further education.
On two separate occasions, Philip is noticed and rewarded by wealthier and more established adult men, who give him material goods such as money and education. This is a very common Alger theme: other Alger heroes receive gifts of clothing, employment, money, and opportunities from grateful benefactors who recognize their merit.
Work ethic
Philip Gray has been raised to believe that hard work is good, virtuous, and worthwhile for its own sake. The conviction that a man ought to work, and that "honest" work in exchange for pay is appropriate to him, is one of the things that convinces him to flee the almshouse and make a living as a country fiddler.
Examples of people without a work ethic, such as the stupid and ugly Nick Holden, the lazy Tucker family, and the nefarious Lorenzo Riccaboca exist throughout the book but all of those people are antagonists. As is common in Alger novels, the antagonists in this book lack honesty, integrity, or a work ethic.
Mr. Gates and Mr. Perry, who own property in one of the towns where Philip plays, notice that Philip is defrauded by Lorenzo Riccaboca. Whereas Philip makes good on his debt, these men (who are honest businesspeople themselves) help the hardworking Philip to get his stolen money back.
Personal development
Philip is not satisfied to live out his entire life as a country fiddler. Although he has more skill than the other self-taught musicians in the area (having received competent instruction for a few years), he understands that he does not have the skill or experience to play professionally in an orchestra or to give lessons himself. Fiddling and moving from town to town is fine to pay the bills in the summer, but the small towns where he appears cannot support him permanently. Accordingly he is in need of solid education to provide him with sufficient income to support himself in the long term. This arrives thanks to the grateful Taylor family.
Because Philip is far more mature than most young men his age, he recognizes the gift he is being given and resolves to apply himself at school instead of continuing to support himself piecemeal with occasional fiddling gigs.
Inherent superiority of the main character
Like most early Alger characters, Philip is superior to his peers. He is good-looking, healthy, physically fit, and extremely mature for his age. Being orphaned does not emotionally incapacitate him. Furthermore, he has at least one skill that allows him to perform at, or even above, the level of most adult men. His talent for music is one of the things that makes him unique and also able to support himself financially in a way most boys his age could not.
Adult responsibility
By supporting himself, Philip (though just a boy) is taking on a responsibility appropriate to an adult male. He also rescues and supports the runaway Henry, returning him to New York to his grateful family. In the process, he negotiates with and gives a gift to his Indian host, showing his sophistication and lack of fear. This sophistication and lack of fear help contrast Philip with the relatively normal and immature Henry, who acts in a fashion far more consistent with his years.
