Andy Grant's Pluck 18

Andy Grant's Pluck 18

"That is your lookout," said the squire, shrugging his shoulders.

 

"You don't appear to have much consideration for me."

 

"Business is business, Mr. Grant. You owe me ninety dollars. If you

can't pay me in one form, you must in another."

 

"I would like to say a word, Squire Carter," said Andy. "The boat for

which you offer twenty dollars cost Mr. Gate seventy-five."

 

"I don't believe it."

 

"I have his word for it."

 

"Very likely, but it wouldn't be the first case where a man overstated

the price of his purchase."

 

"Mr. Gale would not deceive me in that way."

 

"Have it as you like. The boat is second-hand now, and worth far less

than when it was new," persisted the squire.

 

"There is considerable difference between twenty dollars and

seventy-five."

 

"Well, I might stretch a point and call it twenty-five, as Conrad is

desirous of having the boat. In that case there would be five dollars

coming to you, which you would doubtless find very handy."

 

"I think I shall have to decline your offer, Squire Carter."

 

"And leave your poor father in trouble? I thought better of you."

 

Squire Carter was surprised to find that both Andy and his father were

cool, and apparently not suffering anxiety. He had thought they would be

sad, and would resort to entreaties.

 

"Does it strike you, Squire Carter, that you are trying to drive a very

hard bargain with my father and myself? You offer a very low sum for the

cows and for my boat."

 

"If you can get more anywhere else, you are quite at liberty to do so,"

said the squire, in a tone of indifference.

 

He felt that father and son were in his power, and that he would have

his own way in the end.

 

"I don't think we shall sell at all," said Andy, calmly.

 

"What!" ejaculated the squire. "Not sell at all? Do you think I will

allow the interest to remain unpaid?"

 

"The interest will be paid."

 

"How? Where will you get the money?"

 

"I will supply my father with what he needs."

 

"You talk like a fool!" said the squire, sharply. "Do you think I will

allow myself to be humbugged by a boy?"

 

"No, sir; but you can rely upon what I say."

 

"Have you borrowed the money from Mr. Gale?"

 

"I have not seen Mr. Gale for several months. He does not know of my

father's pecuniary trouble. If he did, I think he would come to his and

my assistance. As to the boat, I value it not only on account of its

intrinsic worth, but because he gave it to me. Conrad cannot have it."

 

Squire Carter was much irritated. Besides, he did not believe that Andy

would really be able to furnish his father with the help he needed.

 

"I am not easily deceived, Andrew Grant," he said. "It is useless for me

to remain here any longer. I will only say that if the interest is not

paid on Tuesday next, your father must take the consequences."

 

"He is ready to pay it now--before it is due--if you will give him a

receipt."

 

"Wh--what!" ejaculated the squire, in amazement.

 

"I mean what I say. Father, will you give the squire writing materials

and ask him to make out a receipt?"

 

"Is this--straight? Are you really able to pay the interest now?"

 

"Yes, sir. You need have no fear on that score. When my father wrote me

about his difficulty I procured the money, and I have it here."

 

Half incredulous, Squire Carter made out the receipt, and a roll of

bills was handed to him. He counted them carefully, and put them in his

wallet.

 

"The money is correct," he said, stiffly. "I am glad you are able to pay

it."

 

"Thanks to Andy here," said his father, with a grateful look at his son.

 

"All is well so far, but if your son has borrowed the money it will have

to be repaid."

 

"I didn't borrow it, Squire Carter."

 

"Do you mean to say that you have been able to save it up out of your

boy's wages?"

 

"I received it from my employer for special services."

 

Squire Carter left the house not altogether satisfied. He had received

his interest, but he had hoped to profit by the farmer's needs, and get

what would have been of considerably greater value than the money. In

this he had been disappointed.

 

"But six months hence interest will be due again," he reflected, by way

of consolation. "This time the Grants were lucky, but won't be so all

the time. Besides, when the mortgage falls due it will take more help

than the boy can give to settle it."

 

When the squire reached home, he found Conrad waiting to see him.

 

"Well, pa," he said, "am I going to have the boat?"

 

"No," answered his father, shortly.

 

"Why not? You said you would get it for me."

 

"They wouldn't sell."

 

"Then how will they pay the interest?"

 

"It is paid already."

 

Conrad opened his eyes wide with amazement.

 

"Where did the money come from?"

 

"The boy advanced it to his father."

 

"You must be joking, pa. Where could Andy get ninety dollars?"

 

"He only had to supply seventy. As to where it came from I can't tell.

You had better ask him."

 

"So I will. It's a shame I can't have the boat."

 

"He wants too much for it."

 

"How much does he want?"

 

"I don't know. If he will let you have it for thirty dollars, you can

buy it."

 

"Thank you, pa. It's the same as mine. A boy like Andy can't afford to

refuse thirty dollars."

 

"I don't know. He seems a mighty independent sort of boy."

 

Conrad lost no time in trying to purchase the boat of Andy, but of

course without success.

 

"I would rather keep it myself," was the reply.

 

"But you can't use it."

 

"Not at present, perhaps, but I may be able to some time. Besides, Mr.

Gale gave it to me, and I shouldn't be willing to part with it. At any

rate, I wouldn't sell for thirty dollars."

 

"Never mind, Conrad," said his father. "When the next interest is

payable, Andrew will probably be glad to accept your offer."

 

Andy enjoyed the short visit home. He managed to see the boys with whom

he was most intimate, and promised to look out for positions in the city

for two of them. At home his presence was a source of comfort and joy to

his mother. It gladdened him to see the bright look on her face, which

had been grave and anxious when he arrived.

 

On Monday, morning he set out for New York on an early train, feeling

that his visit had been in every way a success. Several boys were at the

station to see him off, but among them he did not perceive Conrad

Carter.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXX.

 

AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL.

 

 

Three months later, when Andy entered the office one morning, he found

Mr. Crawford in a thoughtful mood.

 

"I wish you were older, Andy," he began, abruptly.

 

"Why, sir?"

 

"Because I have a commission I could then intrust to you."

 

"Then I am too young for it now?"

 

"I am afraid so. And yet--but I will tell you what it is, and see if you

consider yourself equal to it. How old are you now?"

 

"Seventeen, sir."

 

"I will explain myself. I am intimately acquainted with the men who are

engineering the Northern Pacific Railroad, and I have reliable advices

that work will at once be resumed on it, and probably the road will be

completed in less than a year."

 

"I suppose this will raise the price of our land in Tacoma?"

 

"Precisely. Still, I think it will not be advisable to sell for some

time to come. My object is rather to buy more land."

 

"I should think it would be a good idea."

 

"The time to buy is now, before the public learn of the probable early

completion of the railroad. If I could spare the time from my business I

would go out there at once."

 

"I should think it would pay, Mr. Crawford."

 

"Doubtless it would, but I cannot arrange to leave now. I expect to have

some large transactions in real estate during the next two or three

months."

 

"I see the difficulty, sir."

 

"I will come to the point. Do you think you could go to Tacoma, look

carefully over the ground, and secure desirable lots for me?"

 

"I think I could, sir, under instructions from you."

 

"That is what I had in view when I said I wished you were older."

 

"You could, at any rate, rely upon my faithfully carrying out your

instructions."

 

"I am sure of that, and I also have considerable confidence in your good

judgment. At any rate, I will take the risk. What day is to-day?"

 

"Thursday."

 

"Make preparations to start on Monday. Can you do so?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

Andy felt a thrill of delight at the prospect held out to him. He had

always felt a strong desire to see the great West, but had realized that

he should probably have to wait a good many years before his wish was

gratified. It had been a dream, but now his dream bade fair to become

actuality.

 

"I will prepare a general letter of instructions and make such

suggestions as may occur to me," continued Mr. Crawford. "I will excuse

you from office work for the balance of the week, in order that you may

make the necessary preparations."

 

As the Northern Pacific road was not completed, it was decided that Andy

should go to San Francisco by the Union Pacific and Central Pacific

roads, and take steamer thence to Puget Sound.

 

"You can stay in San Francisco three days," said Mr. Crawford,

considerately. "It will give you a chance to rest and see the city."

 

On Monday Andy started on his long journey. He wrote a brief letter to

his mother, as follows:

 

"DEAR MOTHER: I am going West on some business for Mr. Crawford. I

will write you on the way. You are at liberty to tell this to any

one in Arden, but I don't care to have the extent of my journey

known. You may think I am young for such a trip, but I have no

fears. The business is important, but it is simple, and I hope to

carry it through successfully.

 

In haste, your loving son,

 

ANDY."

 

However, Mrs. Grant was not the first one to hear of Andy's trip. It so

happened that at the station Andy met Conrad Carter, who had just come

into the city for a day.

 

"How do you happen to be here?" asked Conrad, in surprise.

 

"I am leaving the city."

 

"I suppose you are discharged and going home," remarked Conrad, loftily.

 

"No; I am going on some business for my employer."

 

"How far do you go?"

 

"My first stop will be Chicago."

 

Conrad was amazed.

 

"Is this straight?" he asked.

 

"Yes."

 

"You are going on business for the firm?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Mr. Crawford must be a fool."

 

"Why?"

 

"To send an ignorant country boy to Chicago."

 

Andy smiled.

 

"Mr. Crawford has succeeded very well in business, and I don't think he

is a fool."

 

"He must be infatuated with you."

 

"If he is, that is lucky for me."

 

"How long do you expect to be away?"

 

"I can't say; I can't tell how long it will take me to transact my

business."

 

"I wish pa would let me go to Chicago," said Conrad, enviously. "You are

a poor boy, and yet you travel more than I."

 

"Your time will come, Conrad."

 

"Has your employer given you much money to travel with?"

 

"I am to draw on him for what I want."

 

"Say, won't you write me a letter from Chicago? I wish I had known you

were going; I would have asked pa to let me go with you."

 

Andy was amused at Conrad's change of front. He knew very well that

Conrad was no more his friend than before, but that his notions were

strictly selfish. However, he promised to write to him if he could get

time, and made the promise in good faith.

 

"I wish Valentine were going with me," he thought; "but I should not

enjoy Conrad's company."

 

Andy's journey to Chicago was uneventful. About two hours before the

train arrived a tall man left his seat on the opposite side of the car

and seated himself beside Andy.

 

"Good-morning," he began. "I suppose, like me, you propose to stop in

Chicago?"

 

"For about twenty-four hours," answered Andy.

 

"And then you go on further?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"How far?"

 

"I cannot tell you definitely," answered Andy, who thought it wise to be

on his guard.

 

"Could you oblige me with small bills for a ten? I am owing a dollar to

the porter."

 

Andy took out a large-sized wallet from an inner pocket and opened it.

It contained about fifty dollars in bills of different denominations.

 

"I am afraid I cannot accommodate you," he said, "unless two five-dollar

bills will answer your purpose."

 

"I am afraid it won't help me."

 

"I am sorry," said Andy, politely.

 

He did not observe the covetous glance of the stranger as he noted the

large wallet and its contents. It occurred to him afterward that his

companion had not produced the bill he wished changed.

 

"Oh, well," said the stranger, carelessly, "it doesn't matter. I can get

the bill changed at the depot. Are you traveling on business?" he

inquired.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"So am I. I represent the firm of Arnold & Constable, in New York.

Doubtless you have heard of them."

 

"Oh, yes. They are well known."

 

"I have been in their employ for five years. Before that I worked for Claflin."