"What can I do for you, Robert?" he asked, kindly.
"I bring bad news, Mr. Paine," said our hero, boldly plunging into the subject which had brought him to the office.
"It"s about the boat, isn"t it?" said the lawyer.
"What, do you know about it?" asked Robert, in surprise.
"Yes; a disinterested friend brought the news."
"Halbert Davis?"
"The same. He takes a strong interest in your affairs," added the lawyer, dryly. "Now tell me how it happened."
Robert gave a full explanation, the lawyer occasionally asking a question.
"It seems, then," he said, "that you incurred this man"s enmity by your defense of Mr. Nichols" money."
"Yes, sir."
"It was incurred in a good cause. I can"t blame you, nor will my son. I will get Mr. Plane, the carpenter, to look at the boat and see what he can do to repair it."
"Some time I will pay you the cost of the repairs, Mr. Paine. I would now if I had any money; but you know how I am situated."
"I shall not call upon you to do that," said the lawyer, kindly. "It was not your fault."
"But the damage would not have happened if Will had not lent the boat to me."
"That is true; but in undertaking the defense of Mr. Nichols you showed a pluck and courage which most boys would not have exhibited. I am interested, like all good citizens, in the prevention of theft, and in this instance I am willing to a.s.sume the cost."
"You are very kind, Mr. Paine. I was afraid you would blame me."
"No, my boy; I am not so unreasonable. It will save me some trouble if you will yourself see Mr. Plane and obtain from him an estimate of the probable expense of putting the boat in order."
Robert left the office, feeling quite relieved by the manner in which his communication had been received. A little way up the road he overtook Halbert Davis. In fact, Halbert was waiting for him, expressly to get an opportunity of enjoying his discomfiture at the ruin of the boat.
"Hallo, Rushton!" he said.
"Good-morning, Halbert!"
"Are you going out in your boat this afternoon?" asked Halbert, maliciously.
"You know why I can"t."
"I wonder what Will Paine will say when he sees the good care you take of it."
"I don"t believe he will blame me when he knows the circ.u.mstances."
"You ain"t fit to have the charge of a boat. I suppose you ran it on a rock."
"Then you suppose wrong."
"You won"t be able to go out fishing any more. How will you make a living?"
"Without your help," said Robert, coldly. "You will probably see me out again in a few days, if you take the trouble to look."
"How can you go?"
"Mr. Paine has asked me to see Mr. Plane about repairing the boat."
"Is he going to pay the expenses?"
"Yes."
"Then he"s a fool."
"You"d better not tell him so, or he might give you a lesson in politeness."
"You"re a low fellow," said Halbert, angrily.
"You are welcome to your opinion," returned Robert, indifferently.
CHAPTER XVI.
ON THE RAILROAD TRACK.
Robert saw the carpenter, according to Mr. Paine"s instructions, but found him so busy that he would not engage to give his attention to the boat under a week.
The delay was regretted by our hero, since it cut him off from the employment by which he hoped to provide for his mother. Again Mrs.
Rushton was in low spirits.
"I am sorry you couldn"t agree with Halbert Davis, Robert," she said, with a sigh. "Then you could have stayed in the factory, and got your wages regularly every week."
"I know that, mother, but I am not willing to have Halbert "boss me round," even for a place in the factory."
"Then, Robert, you quarreled with the man you took across the river."
"I think I did right, mother," said Robert. "Don"t get out of spirits. I don"t expect to succeed always. But I think I shall come out right in the end."
"I am sure I hope so."
Mrs. Rushton was one of those who look on the dark side. She was distrustful of the future, and apt to antic.i.p.ate bad fortune. Robert was very different. He inherited from his father an unusual amount of courage and self-reliance, and if one avenue was closed to him, he at once set out to find another. It is of this cla.s.s that successful men are made, and we have hopes that Robert will develop into a prosperous and successful man.
"I am sure I don"t see what you can do," said Mrs. Rushton, "and we can"t live on what I make by braiding straw."