"We"re ready for anything in the submarine boat line," declared Jack and Hal, in the same breath.
"Then that"s settled. You"re both engaged to serve aboard the "Pollard"
when she floats--and dives," wound up Mr. Farnum, dropping back into his matter-of-fact tone, and mopping his face, for the July afternoon was exceedingly hot. "By the way, boys, how do you feel about taking a little pleasure trip to-night? How"d you like to take one of my horses and a buggy, after supper?"
"Fine and splendid," replied Jack, with enthusiasm.
"And, by the way, since your references are so good, I can give you a chance to try to make a little extra money, if you like."
"Extra money is highly prized in the town where we come from, sir,"
laughed young Benson.
"Well, see here, over at Waverly Center, eight miles from here, is a man named George Forrester. Now, Forrester owes me, and has owed me, for some time, eight hundred dollars for a little boat we built him here. Forrester was always considered a safe man, but for some reason he has let this bill run. If you care to, you may take the bill and drive over to see him to-night. I"ll pay you a commission of five per cent. on the whole bill, or any part that you can collect. But I warn you that you may find Forrester a bit shy about settling."
No matter! A chance to get in forty dollars in an evening looked extremely attractive to these young submarine boys.
CHAPTER VI
ALONG THE TRAIL OF TROUBLE
"I wonder if we shall find our man at home?" remarked Jack Benson, as he and his chum drove over the road to Waverly Center in the early evening.
"I wonder if he"ll settle the bill!" rejoined Hal.
"If he has the money, and doesn"t settle, it"ll show what poor collectors we are," laughed Jack.
"Very few men keep eight hundred dollars around the house," objected young Hastings.
"And our man won"t have that amount in cash, either. I"d be almost afraid to take that amount of real money, at night. If Mr. Forrester is willing to do something pleasant for us, it will be in the form of a check, of course."
"I"d like to come out all right with Mr. Forrester, of course," Hal admitted. "But, to tell the truth, I haven"t been thinking much about Jack, old fellow, all my real thoughts are on our wonderful chance to be part of the trial crew of the "Pollard.""
"Same here," admitted Benson. "Say, money does look rather small, compared with a chance like ours. Now, doesn"t it?"
So they hardly mentioned Mr. Forrester on the rest of that cool, delightful drive. Arrived at Waverly Center, however, they had to inquire the way to the Forrester house. They found it, a comfortable though not pretentious house. The owner was at home, and saw them at once.
"May we see you alone, Mr. Forester?" asked Jack Benson, respectfully.
"Is it as bad as all that?" laughed their host, I a pleasant-faced, rather bald man past forty. "Come into my little den, then."
He conducted them to a small room that looked as though it served partly the purposes of library and partly of office.
"Now, what can I do for you?" inquired Mr. Forrester.
"We represent Mr. Farnum, of Dunhaven," began Jack, slowly.
"Farnum? Oh, yes, the boat-builder. He must know that I don"t want anything new in his line, and on any other business I imagine he would have sent someone--er--older."
"Mr. Farnum believed you would find it wholly convenient, now, to settle the account for the last bill," Benson went on, slipping the statement from an inner pocket and laying it on the desk before Mr.
Forrester. That gentleman frowned slightly.
"I trust we haven"t called at the wrong time, and that it will be wholly convenient for you this evening," Jack continued.
"But, see here, young man, I know nothing about you. You have the bill, true, but it is not receipted."
"I will receipt it, in Mr. Farnum"s name."
"All well and good," replied Mr. Forrester. "But--pardon me--how do I know that you have any authority to receipt for this account?"
"Then I think you will appreciate my painstaking care to make everything regular and satisfactory," laughed Jack, very quietly. "Here is a paper, signed by Mr. Farnum, authorizing me to receipt this account in his name. You may keep this authorization along with the receipt.
Mr. Forrester, it is growing late, and we are obliged to be at business early in the morning. You will oblige us by letting us have your check, won"t you?"
Benson spoke as though he had not a doubt of immediate settlement. Yet his tone and his manner were such as not to give the least offense to the man who was being "dunned."
"Why, this--er--is rather a late time in the day to collect bills,"
hinted Mr. Forrester, in an uncertain voice.
"Had the matter not been just a little pressing we wouldn"t have ventured over as late," Benson replied, softly. "However, you understand what I would say, don"t you, Mr. Forrester?"
There was something about the young speaker"s manner, his tone, the look in his eyes, that proclaimed him to be anything but a "quitter."
Mr. Forrester began to feel that, if he succeeded in evading payment this evening, he would only have to see these young men frequently.
"Well, you see, Benson," he said, at last, "I don"t want to draw for such a sum against my check account before to-morrow."
"I think we could come again to-morrow, if we _have_ to," responded young Benson, as though thinking it over.
"I am going to make a deposit in my bank in the morning," continued the man.
"Then we are to come again to-morrow evening?" insisted Jack.
"Why, hang it, no. If you"ll take cash, instead of check, I can let you have the money to-night."
But that gentleman added, under his breath:
"I may as well settle to-night as have them coming again to-morrow."
"Why, certainly we"ll take the cash, to-night," replied young Benson, his face beaming at thought of how easily a fine commission was to be earned as part of an evening"s pleasure.
Mr. Forrester, having made the offer, began secretly to regret it. He was a man who meant to pay his debts, but just now he felt that he would really like to have the money to use in other directions.
Jack, however; began to suspect that some such thought was in the other"s mind.
"With your permission, Mr. Forrester," said the boy, reaching over the desk, "I"ll borrow one of your pens."
In a firm, clear hand Jack Benson promptly receipted the bill, dating the receipt as well, and affixing his own name as the collector.