Frank and Mark took supper alone, Mr. Manning having left word that he would not return till later in the evening.
After supper, Frank decided to go over to call upon Col. Vincent, the new owner of Ajax. His estate was distant about three-quarters of a mile from the Cedars.
As Frank started, Mark inquired:
"Where are you going, Frank?"
"To see Ajax," answered our hero.
"Do you mean to make any fuss about him? I wouldn"t advise you to."
"Thank you for your advice."
"I wonder what he is going to do?" thought Mark. "Of course he can"t do anything now."
He did not venture to propose to accompany Frank, knowing that his company would not be acceptable.
"Is Col. Vincent at home?" asked Frank, at the door of a handsome house.
"Yes, Mr. Courtney," replied the colored servant, pleasantly, for Frank was a favorite among all cla.s.ses in the neighborhood. "Come right in, sir. De colonel am smoking a cigar on de back piazza."
Frank followed the servant through the hall which intersected the house, and stepped out on the back piazza.
A stout, elderly gentleman was taking his ease in a large rustic rocking chair.
"Good-evening, Col. Vincent," our hero said.
"Good-evening, Frank, my boy," said the colonel, heartily. "Glad to see you. Haven"t you gone back to school?"
"Yes, sir; but I came home to spend Sunday. It doesn"t seem much like home now," he added, as his lip quivered.
"You have suffered a great loss, my dear boy," said the colonel, feelingly.
"The greatest, sir. My mother was all I had."
"I suppose Mr. Manning will keep up the establishment?"
"I suppose so, sir; but it is no longer home to me."
"Don"t take it too hard, Frank. I was sorry about the will."
"So was I, sir; because it makes me dependent on a man whom I dislike."
"Don"t be too prejudiced, Frank. I never took any fancy to your stepfather myself; but then we don"t need to like everybody we a.s.sociate with."
"I hear you have bought my horse, Col. Vincent," said Frank, desiring to change the subject.
"Was Ajax your horse?"
"Yes. It was given to me as a birthday present by my mother."
"I had some such idea, and expressly asked Mr. Manning whether the horse was not yours."
"What did he answer?"
"That it was only nominally yours, and that he thought it best to sell it, as both you and Mark were absent at school, and had no time to use it."
"I am not surprised at anything Mr. Manning may say," said Frank.
"It"s too bad! I"ll tell you what I will do, Frank. I haven"t paid for the horse yet. I will return it to Mr. Manning, and tell him that I bought it under a misapprehension of the ownership. I don"t think he will make any fuss."
"I would rather have you keep it, sir."
"You would!" exclaimed the colonel, in surprise.
"Yes, sir. If you should return Ajax, Mr. Manning would sell him to some one else, and you, I know, will treat him well."
"But you will lose the use of him. No, you won"t, though. Come over to my stable when you like, and, if he is not in use, you can take him out."
"Thank you, sir! You are very kind. While I am in the neighborhood, I won"t forget your kind offer. But I mean to go away."
"You mean to go away! Where?"
"Out into the world. Anywhere, where I can find work and make a living."
"But surely this is not necessary. Your stepfather will provide for you without your working."
"I have no reason to doubt it, Col. Vincent; but I shall be happier in the world outside."
"Of course you will let Mr. Manning know of your intention to leave home?"
"I shall ask his permission to go at the end of my school term. That comes in a couple of weeks."
"Where will you go?"
"A cousin of my father is at Newark, New Jersey. I think I shall go to him first, and ask his advice about getting a place either there or in New York."
"You will need some money to start with. Do you think Mr. Manning will give you any?"
"I don"t know, sir! That won"t prevent my going. I have fifty dollars in a savings bank, saved up from my allowance, and that will be all I shall need."
"If you have any difficulty on that score, Frank, remember that I was your father"s friend, and mean to be yours. Apply to me at any time when you are in a strait."
"I will, sir, and thank you heartily."
"That was a strange will, Frank. I don"t want to put any ideas into your head to disturb you, but had your mother ever led you to suspect that she intended to leave you dependent on your stepfather?"
"Never, sir!"