Grit or The Young Boatman of Pine Point 26

Grit or The Young Boatman of Pine Point 26

"Very well," said Brandon. "You and Grit are welcome to the charms of

Pine Point. As for me, it is too small and contracted for a man of my

business capacity."

 

"I wonder whether there is any truth in what he says," thought Mrs.

Brandon, puzzled.

 

"Your business seems a profitable one," she ventured to remark.

 

"It is, Mrs. B.," answered her husband. "It is of an unusually delicate

nature, and requires business talents of a high order."

 

"Your friend Travers does not impress one as a man possessed of a high

order of business talent," said Mrs. Brandon.

 

"That is where you fail to appreciate him, but I cannot say more. My

business is secret, and cannot be revealed."

 

So saying, Brandon took his hat, and with a jaunty step walked to the

hotel.

 

"More secrecy!" thought Mrs. Brandon. "Grit tells me that his mission is

a secret one, and now Mr. Brandon says he, too, is engaged in something

that cannot be revealed. I know that it is all right with Grit, but I do

not feel so sure about Mr. Brandon."

 

The day passed as usual. Grit plied his boat on the river, and did a

fair day's work. But about four o'clock he came home.

 

"You are home early, Grit," said his mother.

 

"Yes, for I must get ready to go."

 

He had not yet mentioned to his mother when he was to start.

 

"Do you go to-morrow morning?" asked Mrs. Brandon.

 

"I go to-night, and may be away for a couple of days, mother."

 

Mrs. Brandon uttered an exclamation of surprise.

 

"I suppose I must not ask you where you are going," said his mother.

 

"I cannot tell, for it is somebody else's secret. One thing more, will

you take care to say as little as possible about my going away? I would

rather Mr. Brandon should not know of it."

 

"I will do as you wish, Grit. By the way, Mr. Brandon tells me he is

soon going to Europe."

 

Grit smiled. He knew where the money was to come from, which his

stepfather depended upon to defray the expenses of a foreign journey.

 

"I don't feel sure about his going, mother," he answered.

 

"He said he would have taken you and me if we had treated his friend

Travers more politely."

 

"Well, mother, we must reconcile ourselves as well as we can to staying

at home."

 

"Home will be happy while I have you with me, Grit."

 

"And Mr. Brandon away," added the young boatman.

 

"Yes; I can't help hoping that he will be able to carry out his purpose,

and go to Europe, or somewhere else as far off."

 

"I think it very likely we sha'n't see him again for some time," said

Grit, "though I don't think he will be traveling in Europe."

 

"As you and Mr. Brandon are both to be engaged in business of a secret

nature," said Mrs. Brandon, smiling, "I don't know but I ought to follow

your example."

 

"I have full confidence in you, mother, whatever you undertake," said

Grit, with a laugh, repeating his mother's own words.

 

Evening came on, and Grit stole out of the house early, lest his

stepfather might by some chance return home, and suspect something from

his unusual journey.

 

He need not have been alarmed, for Brandon did not leave the tavern till

ten o'clock, though he, too, expected to leave town the next morning.

 

When he returned he didn't inquire for Grit, whom he supposed to be abed

and asleep.

 

"Mrs. B.," he said, "I must trouble you to wake me at seven o'clock

to-morrow morning. I am going to take the early train to Portland."

 

"Very well."

 

"And as it will be rather inconvenient for me to go out to breakfast, I

would be glad if you would give me some breakfast before I go."

 

"I will do so," said his wife.

 

"It may be some time before I see you again, as I am to go away on

business."

 

"I hope you may be successful," said Mrs. Brandon.

 

Brandon laughed queerly.

 

"If the old lady knew that I was going to steal some government bonds,

she would hesitate a little before she wished me success," he thought,

but he said:

 

"Thank you, Mrs. B., your good wishes are appreciated, and I may

hereafter be able to show my appreciation in a substantial way. I

suppose Grit is asleep."

 

Mrs. Brandon did not answer, finding the question an embarrassing one.

 

The next morning Brandon, contrary to his wont, showed considerable

alacrity in dressing, and did justice to the breakfast his wife had set

before him.

 

"Well, good-bye, Mrs. B.," he said, as he took his hat and prepared to

leave the house. "Perhaps I had better go up-stairs and bid good-by to

Grit, as I may not see him again for some time."

 

"Grit is out," said Mrs. Brandon hastily, for she did not wish her

husband to go up to Grit's room, as he would discover that his bed had

not been slept in.

 

"Out already?" said Brandon. "He's made an early start. Well, bid him

good-by for me."

 

"It's very strange," repeated Mrs. Brandon, as she cleared away the

breakfast dishes; "there's Grit gone, I don't know where, and now Mr.

Brandon has started off on some mysterious business. What can it all

mean?"

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXVI.

 

THE FALL RIVER MANUFACTURER.

 

 

Grit lost no time in prosecuting his journey. In Portland he found that

he should need to stay over a few hours, and repaired to the United

States Hotel. He left word to be called early, as he wished to take a

morning train to Boston.

 

At the breakfast-table he found himself sitting next to a man of swarthy

complexion and bushy black whiskers.

 

"Good morning, my young friend," said the stranger, after a scrutinizing

glance.

 

"Good morning, sir," said Grit politely.

 

"Are you stopping at this hotel?"

 

"For the present, yes," answered the young boatman.

 

"Are you going farther?"

 

"I think of it," said Grit cautiously.

 

"Perhaps you are going to Boston," proceeded the stranger.

 

"I may do so," Grit admitted.

 

"I am glad of it, for I am going, too. If agreeable, we will travel in

company."

 

"I suppose we shall go on the same train?" said Grit evasively.

 

"Just so. I am going to Boston on business. You, I suppose, are too

young to have business of any importance?"

 

"Boys of my age seldom have business of importance," said Grit, resolved

to baffle the evident curiosity of the stranger.

 

"Exactly. I suppose you have relations in Boston?"

 

"I once lived in that neighborhood," said Grit.

 

"Just so. Are you going to stay long in the city?"

 

"That depends on circumstances?"

 

"Do you live in this State?"

 

"At present I do."

 

The man looked a little annoyed, for he saw that Grit was determined to

say as little about himself as possible. He decided to set the boy an

example of frankness.

 

"I do not live in Maine," he said; "I am a manufacturer in Fall River,

Mass. I suppose you have heard of Fall River?"