Mr. Tripp decided to offer Chester his old place at two dollars and a half a week. Abel Wood was again in his employ, but he didn"t like him as well as Chester.
The latter he had always found reliable, while Abel was rather apt to forget what Silas told him. Once he had stopped in the street and played ball, losing ten or fifteen minutes in that way. Mr. Tripp was obliged to confess that he never had a more satisfactory boy than Chester.
The store closed at nine, and Silas, instead of going into the house, walked over to Mrs. Rand"s cottage.
She was rather surprised when she saw who her visitor was.
"Good-evening, Mr. Tripp," she said, politely. "Won"t you come in?"
"Thank you, widder. It"s rather late to call, but I thought you might like to hear about York, seein" Chester is there."
"Have you been to New York to-day?"
"Yes; I went up on a little business."
"Did you see Chester?"
"No, I didn"t see him," answered Silas, significantly.
"Did you hear anything of him?" Mrs. Rand naturally asked.
Mr. Tripp coughed.
"Well, yes, I heered somethin" about him."
"Is he--sick?" asked the mother, anxiously, made apprehensive by his tone.
"Not that I know of. Hain"t he writ anything special to you?"
"I had a letter yesterday, but there was nothing special in it."
"I suppose he didn"t say nothin" about his place?"
"Yes; he likes it very much."
"I don"t like to say it, widder, but he"s deceivin" you. I saw his employer myself, and he said that he had to discharge Chester."
Somehow Mrs. Rand did not seem so much disturbed by this intelligence as the storekeeper thought she would be.
"Oh, you mean the real estate office," she said.
"Yes; I was treated quite handsome by Mr. Mullins, the bookkeeper, who is runnin" the business while Mr. Fairchild is away. He says Chester wasn"t spry enough, that he wasn"t wide awake enough to work in the city."
Mrs. Rand actually smiled.
"So that is what he said," she returned. "I can tell you why Chester was discharged. Mr. Mullins wanted to give the place to his nephew."
"Mebbe so," answered Silas, dubiously. "Anyhow, it"s unfortunate for Chester to lose his place. I feel for you, Mrs. Rand, as I always liked Chester myself, and I came here to-night to say that I"m ready to take him back into the store, and give him two dollars and a half a week. He suits me."
Mr. Tripp leaned back in the rocking-chair and looked as if he had made a very handsome proposal.
"I see, Mr. Tripp," said Mrs. Rand, smiling, "that you think Chester is out of a position."
"So he is. Wasn"t he discharged? I know from what Mr. Mullins said he won"t take him back."
"Chester would not be willing to go back. He has a new and better place."
"You don"t say!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr. Tripp, surprised and, it must be confessed, disappointed. "What sort of a place is it?"
"He is working for a New York paper or magazine."
"Sho! Does he get as much pay as he did at the other place?"
"Considerably more," Mrs. Rand answered, with satisfaction.
"More"n five dollars a week?"
"Yes; he offers to send me five dollars a week, but I can get along without a.s.sistance, since Miss Dolby pays me so liberally."
"Well, I am surprised. Chester is very lucky. Mebbe it won"t last," he continued, hopefully.
"It seems likely to be permanent."
"Well, I guess I must be goin". If he should lose his place, tell him I will take him back any time."
"I don"t think he would be satisfied to come back to Wyncombe after working in New York."
Silas Tripp returned to his house rather disappointed. He had felt so sure of securing Chester"s services, and now his old boy seemed to be quite out of his reach.
"Offered to send his mother five dollars a week!" he soliloquized.
"Then he must be makin" as much as ten in his new place. Mr. Mullins didn"t seem to know about it. I wonder what he can be doin" to get such a high salary."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
PROF. NUGENT.
Chester still went three times a week to the house of Prof. Hazlitt. He was getting on fast with the professor"s work.
"I think I shall go to press with my book before the end of the year,"
said the professor, one evening, as Chester was taking his leave. "In my preface I shall mention your name, Chester, as my artistic collaborator."
"Couldn"t you mention my name, too, Uncle Edgar?" asked Arthur Burks.
"In what way?" inquired the professor smiling.