"But it will soon be over."
"Yes, thanks to you. Why can"t you accompany me, Hector? I ought not, perhaps, to draw you away, but--"
"But listen to the letter I have received from my kind and considerate guardian, as he styles himself," said Hector.
He read Allan Roscoe"s letter to the usher.
"He seems in a great hurry to condemn you," said Mr. Crabb.
"Yes, and to get me off his hands," said Hector, proudly. "Well, he shall be gratified in the last. I shall accept Walter"s invitation, and we will go up to New York together."
"That will, indeed, please me. Of course, you will undeceive your guardian."
"Yes. I will get Wilkins and Platt to prepare a statement of the facts in the case, and accompany it by a note releasing Mr. Roscoe from any further care or expense for me."
"But, Hector, can you afford to do this?"
"I cannot afford to do otherwise, Mr. Crabb. I shall find friends, and I am willing to work for my living, if need be."
At this point one of the boys came to Mr. Crabb with a message from Socrates, desiring the usher to wait upon him at once.
CHAPTER XXIII. ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THE USHER.
Mr. Smith had been thinking it over. He had discharged Mr. Crabb in the anger of the moment, but after his anger had abated, he considered that it was not for his interest to part with him. Mr. Crabb was a competent teacher, and it would be well-nigh impossible to obtain another so cheap. Twenty dollars a month for a teacher qualified to instruct in Latin and Greek was certainly a beggarly sum, but Mr. Crabb"s dire necessity had compelled him to accept it. Where could he look for another teacher as cheap? Socrates Smith appreciated the difficulty, and decided to take Mr. Crabb back, on condition that he would make an apology to Jim.
To do Mr. Crabb justice, it may be said that he would not have done this even if he saw no chance of another situation. But this Mr. Smith did not know. He did observe, however, that the usher entered his presence calm, erect and appearing by no means depressed, as he had expected.
"You sent for me, sir?" said the usher interrogatively.
"Yes, Mr. Crabb. You will remember that I had occasion to rebuke you, when we last conferred together, for overstepping the limits of your authority?"
"I remember, Mr. Smith, that you showed anger, and found fault with me."
"Exactly so."
"Why doesn"t he ask to be taken back?" thought Socrates.
"I have thought the matter over since," continued the princ.i.p.al, "and have concluded we might be able to arrange matters."
The usher was surprised. He had not expected that Mr. Smith would make overtures of reconciliation. He decided not to mention at present his brighter prospects in New York, but to wait and see what further his employer had to say.
Mr. Crabb bowed, but did not make any reply.
"I take it for granted, Mr. Crabb, that your means are limited,"
proceeded Socrates.
"You are right there, sir. If I had not been poor I should not have accepted the position of teacher in Smith Inst.i.tute for the pitiful salary of twenty dollars a month."
"Twenty dollars a month and your board, Mr. Crabb," said Socrates, with dignity, "I consider a very fair remuneration."
"I do not, Mr. Smith," said the usher, in a decided tone.
"I apprehend you will find it considerably better than to be out of employment," said Socrates, rather angry.
"You are right there, sir."
"I am glad you show signs of returning reason. Well, Mr. Crabb, I have thought the matter over, and I have a proposal to make to you."
"Very well, sir!"
"I do not wish to distress you by taking away your means of livelihood."
"You are very considerate, sir."
There was something in Mr. Crabb"s tone that Socrates did not understand. It really seemed that he did not care whether he was taken back or not. But, of course, this could not be. It was absolutely necessary for him, poor as he was, that he should be reinstated. So Mr.
Smith proceeded.
"To cut the matter short, I am willing to take you back on two conditions."
"May I ask you to name them?"
"The first is, that you shall apologize to my nephew for your unjustifiable attack upon him day before yesterday."
"What is the other, Mr. Smith?"
"The other is, that hereafter you will not exceed the limits of your authority."
"And you wish my answer?" asked the usher, raising his eyes, and looking fixedly at his employer.
"If you please, Mr. Crabb."
"Then, sir, you shall have it. Your proposal that I should apologize to that overgrown bully for restraining him in his savage treatment of a fellow-pupil is both ridiculous and insulting."
"You forget yourself, Mr. Crabb," said Socrates, gazing at the hitherto humble usher in stupefaction.
"As to promising not to do it again, you will understand that I shall make no such engagement."
"Then, Mr. Crabb," said Socrates, angrily, "I shall adhere to what I said the other day. At the end of this week you must leave me."
"Of course, sir, that is understood!"
"You haven"t another engagement, I take it," said Mr. Smith, very much puzzled by the usher"s extraordinary independence.