"I don"t mind that, if I only had things to do with," said Katy, who was busy disposing of the provisions which Harry had bought.
As soon as the kettle boiled, she made tea, and prepared a little toast for her mother, who, however, was too sick to take much nourishment.
"Now, Katy, you must eat yourself," interposed Harry, when all was ready.
"I can"t eat," replied the poor girl, bursting into tears. "I don"t feel hungry."
"You must eat."
Just then the children in the trundle bed, disturbed by the unusual bustle in the room, waked, and gazed with wonder at Harry, who had seated himself on the bed.
"Poor Susy!" exclaimed Katy; "she has waked up. And Tommy, too! They shall have their supper, now."
They were taken up; and Harry"s eyes were gladdened by such a sight as he had never beheld before. The hungry ate; and every mouthful they took swelled the heart of the little almoner of G.o.d"s bounty. If the thought of Julia Bryant, languishing on a bed of sickness, had not marred his satisfaction, he had been perfectly happy. But he was doing a deed that would rejoice her heart; he was doing just what she had done for him; he was doing just what she would have done, if she had been there.
"She hoped he would be a good boy." His conscience told him he had been a good boy--that he had been true to himself, and true to the n.o.ble example she had set before him.
While the family were still at supper, Harry, lighting another candle, went down cellar to pay his respects to those big logs. He was a stout boy, and accustomed to the use of the axe. By slow degrees he chipped off the logs, until they were used up, and a great pile of serviceable wood was before him. Not content with this, he carried up several large armfuls of it, which he deposited by the fireplace in the room.
"Now, marm, I don"t know as I can do anything more for you to-night,"
said he, moving towards the door.
"The Lord knows you have done enough," replied the poor woman. "I hope we shall be able to pay you for what you have done."
"I don"t want anything, marm."
"If we can"t pay you, the Lord will reward you."
"I am paid enough already. I hope you will get better, marm."
"I hope so. I feel better to-night than I have felt before for a week."
"Good night, marm! Good night, Katy!" And Harry hurried back to the stable.
"Where have you been, Harry?" asked Abner, when he entered the ostler"s room.
"I have been out a little while."
"I know that. The old man wanted you; and when he couldn"t find you, he was mad as thunder."
"Where is he?" said Harry, somewhat annoyed to find that, while he had been doing his duty in one direction, he had neglected his duty in another.
"In the counting room. You will catch fits for going off."
Whatever he should catch, he determined to "face the music," and left the room to find his employer.
CHAPTER XV
IN WHICH HARRY MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF A VERY IMPORTANT PERSONAGE
Major Phillips was in the counting room, where Harry, dreading his anger, presented himself before him. His employer was a violent man.
He usually acted first, and thought the matter over afterwards; so that he frequently had occasion to undo what had been done in haste and pa.s.sion. His heart was kind, but his temper generally had the first word.
"So you have come, Harry," exclaimed he, as our hero opened the door.
"Where have you been?"
"I have been out a little while," replied Harry, whose modesty rebelled at the idea of proclaiming the good deed he had done.
"Out a little while!" roared the major, with an oath that froze the boy"s blood. "That is enough--enough, sir. You know I don"t allow man or boy to leave the stable without letting me know it."
"I was wrong, sir; but I--"
"You little snivelling monkey, how dared you leave the stable?"
continued the stable keeper, heedless of the boy"s submission. "I"ll teach you better than that."
"Will you?" said Harry, suddenly changing his tone, as his blood began to boil. "You can begin as quick as you like."
"You saucy young cub! I have a great mind to give you a cowhiding,"
thundered the enraged stable keeper.
"I should like to see you do it," replied Harry, fixing his eyes on the poker that lay on the floor near the stove.
"Should you, you impertinent puppy?"
The major sprang forward, as if to grasp the boy by the collar; but Harry, with his eyes still fixed on the poker, retreated a pace or two, ready to act promptly when the decisive moment should come.
Forgetting for the time that he had run away from one duty to attend to another, he felt indignant that he should be thus rudely treated for being absent a short time on an errand of love and charity. He gave himself too much credit for the good deed, and felt that he was a martyr to his philanthropic spirit. He was willing to bear all and brave all in a good cause; and it seemed to him, just then, as though he was being punished for a.s.sisting Joe Flint"s family, instead of for leaving his place without permission. A great many persons who mean well are apt to think themselves martyrs for any good cause in which they may be engaged, when, in reality, their own want of tact, or the offensive manner in which they present their truth, is the stake at which they are burned.
"Keep off!" said Harry, his eyes flashing fire.
The major was so angry that he could do nothing; and while they were thus confronting each other, Joe Flint staggered into the counting room. Intoxicated as he was, he readily discovered the position of affairs between the belligerents.
"Look here--hic--Major Phillips," said he, reeling up to his employer, "I love you--hic--Major Phillips, like a--hic--like a brother, Major Phillips; but if you touch that boy, Major Phillips, I"ll--hic--you touch me, Major Phillips. That"s all."
"Go home, Joe," replied the stable keeper, his attention diverted from Harry to the new combatant. "You are drunk."
"I know I"m drunk, Major Phillips. I"m as drunk as a beast; but I ain"t--hic--dead drunk. I know what I"m about."
"No, you don"t. Go home."
"Yes, I dzoo. I"m a brute; I"m a hog; I"m a--dzwhat you call it? I"m a villain."
Joe tried to straighten himself up, and look at his employer; but he could not, and suddenly bursting into tears, he threw himself heavily into a chair, weeping bitterly in his inebriate paroxysm. He sobbed, and groaned, and talked incoherently. He acted strangely, and Major Phillips"s attention was excited.
"What is the matter, Joe?" he asked; and his anger towards Harry seemed to have subsided.