"I am glad you mentioned it, John. You may send him fifty or seventy-five dollars, if my share should amount to so much."
"I will."
"And I am going to have my home letters directed to your care. You can forward them to me whenever you have an opportunity."
"I won"t fail, Tom. If there is anything you need sent out to you, you have only to write me, and I will attend to your commissions."
"It is very convenient to have an agent in the city," said John, smiling. "I shall feel much more comfortable out at the mines."
"I wish you good luck, Tom; but remember, even if you don"t succeed in your search for gold, I shall be making money for you here."
"You make me feel quite like a capitalist, John."
"I hope you may be one some day. Good-by!"
They shook hands and parted. Before night-fall Tom had started on his new journey in quest of gold.
CHAPTER XXV.
WHITEFACE.
Mark Nelson missed sorely the cow which he had been compelled to yield to the squire on account of default of interest. Whiteface was his best cow, and a great favorite with all the children. She gave nearly as much milk as the other two, and had been one of the main dependences of the family. It was worth considerably more than the thirty dollars for which the squire took it; but he insisted upon that and no other, and Whiteface had to go.
Six months had pa.s.sed, and there seemed to be very little chance of redeeming the lost cow. Squire Hudson had agreed to give her back on payment of the balance due, with accrued interest; but neither he nor Mark Nelson expected that such an offer would be made.
"I was pa.s.sing Squire Hudson"s to-day, and saw poor Whiteface," said Walter, one evening. "I think she knew me, for when I called her she lowed back."
"I wish we had her back," said Sarah. "It was heartless in the squire to take her. He had a dozen cows of his own."
"He hasn"t any heart," said Walter, "or, if he has, it must be pretty small."
"We must not forget that he was ent.i.tled to some security for the balance of interest I owe him," said the farmer.
"The cow was worth a good deal more than thirty dollars," said Sarah.
"Yes, she was; but I am not sure whether I could have got any more money for her at a forced sale. Then you know the squire is pledged to give her back whenever I can pay him the thirty dollars, with interest."
"I wish you could pay it now, father," said Walter.
"So do I, my boy; but I cannot, unless your brother sends me some money."
"It is three weeks since we have heard from Tom," said Mrs. Nelson, anxiously. "I am afraid he is sick."
"Don"t worry yourself with imaginary fears, Mary," said her husband.
"Tom may be sick, of course; but he is strong and healthy, and we won"t fear such a thing without some ground. Probably a letter is on the way from him now."
"I hope he is making money," said Walter. "I wish I were with him."
"I would never consent to have you go too," said Mrs. Nelson, hastily.
"I don"t think Walter seriously thinks of asking leave," said Mr.
Nelson, smiling. "As he is only thirteen years old, I should be inclined to object myself. I must have him at home to help me with the farm."
"I should be perfectly contented to stay at home if we had Whiteface back," said Walter. "I"ve a great mind to steal her out of the squire"s yard. I bet she"d be glad to come."
"Don"t speak in that way, Walter," said his father. "I dislike to have you speak of stealing, even in fun."
At this moment there was a knock at the front door. Farmer Nelson"s house was an old-fashioned one, and not provided with a bell.
"Go to the door, Sarah," said her father.
Sarah obeyed.
"Good-evening, Nahum," she said to the village expressman.
"I"ve got a small package for your folks," said Nahum. "It"s marked all over. Guess it came from Californy."
"It must be from Tom," exclaimed Sarah, in delight.
"That"s what I thought," said the expressman, who knew everybody in the village, and could probably give a fairly correct list of their sisters, cousins, and aunts, with a fair guess at their worldly circ.u.mstances.
"Is there anything to pay, Nahum?"
"Only fifty cents,--the expressage from Boston. Never mind about it now, for I"m in a hurry. Your father can hand it to me next time he sees me."
"O father, here"s a package from Tom," said Sarah, hurrying into the room where they were all sitting.
"Open it quick," said Walter. "See if there"s any money in it."
The cord was cut, and a small box was disclosed containing a hundred dollars in gold pieces and a line from Tom, stating that he was doing well, and that he hoped soon to send some more money.
"A hundred dollars! What a lot of money!" exclaimed Walter, gazing on the little pile of coins as if fascinated.
"I am so glad the dear boy is doing well," said Mrs. Nelson.
"Now we can have Whiteface back, can"t we, father?" asked Walter, joyfully.
"Yes, Walter," said Mark Nelson, almost as excited as his son. "I will go over the first thing in the morning."
"Can"t we go over this evening?" asked Walter, impatiently.
"No, it is dark, and Whiteface is stalled for the night."
"You"ll have seventy dollars left over, father, won"t you?"