Frank's Campaign [30]
he had carefully closed, open slowly. Looking up hastily, the hoe still in his hand, his dismayed glance fell upon Frank Frost, entering with a lantern.
A half-exclamation of surprise and dismay escaped him. This called the attention of Frank, who till that moment was unsuspicious of Dick's presence.
"Dick Bumstead!" he exclaimed, as soon as he recognized the intruder. "What brings you here at this time of night?"
"A mean errand, Frank," returned Dick, with a wholesome feeling of shame. He had made up his mind to a confession.
"You didn't come here to--to----" Here Frank stopped short.
"No, not to steal. I ain't quite so mean as that comes to. I come to let out your pigs, so that in the morning you would have a long chase after them."
"But what could put such a thing into your head, Dick?" asked Frank, in great surprise.
"I thought it would be a good joke."
"It wouldn't have been much of a joke to me," said Frank.
"No; and to tell the truth it wouldn't have been to me. The fact is, and I don't mind telling it, that I should never have thought of such a thing if somebody else hadn't put it into my head."
"Somebody else?"
"Yes; I'd a little rather not tell who that somebody is, for I don't believe he would like to have you know."
"Why didn't he come himself?" asked Frank. "It seems to me he's been making a catspaw of you."
"A catspaw?"
"Yes, haven't you read the story? A monkey wanted to draw some chestnuts out of the hot ashes, but, feeling a decided objection to burning his own paws in the operation, drew a cat to the fire and thrust her paw in."
"I don't know but it's been so in my case," said Dick. "I didn't want to do it, and that's a fact. I felt as mean as could be when I first came into your yard to-night. But he offered me two dollars to do it, and it's so seldom I see money that it tempted me."
Frank looked puzzled. "I don't see," he said thoughtfully, "how anybody should think it worth while to pay two dollars for such a piece of mischief."
"Perhaps he don't like you, and wanted to plague you," suggested Dick.
The thought at once flashed upon Frank that John Haynes must be implicated. He was the only boy who was likely to have two dollars to invest in this way, and the suggestion offered by Dick of personal enmity was sufficient to supply a motive for his action.
"I believe I know who it is, now, Dick," he said quietly. "However, I won't ask you to tell me. There is one boy in the village who thinks he has cause of complaint against me, though I have never intentionally injured him."
"What shall you do about it, Frank?" asked Dick, a little awkwardly, for he did not want his own agency made public.
"Nothing," answered Frank. "I would rather take no notice of it."
"At any rate, I hope you won't think hard of me," said Dick. "You have always treated me well, and I didn't want to trouble you. But the money tempted me. I meant to buy cigars with it."
"You don't smoke, Dick?"
"Yes, when I get a chance."
"I wouldn't if I were you. It isn't good for boys like you and me. It is an expensive habit, and injurious, too."
"I don't know but you are right, Frank," said Dick candidly.
"I know I am. You can leave off now, Dick, better than when you are older."
At this moment a voice was heard from the house, calling "Frank!"
"I came out for some herbs," said Frank hurriedly. "Jacob isn't very well, and mother is going to make him some herb tea. I won't mention that I have seen you."
"All right. Thank you, Frank."
A minute later Frank went into the house, leaving Dick by himself.
"Now," thought Dick, "I must try to remedy the mischief I have done. I'm afraid I've got a job before me."
He went round to the gap in the wall, and began to lay it again as well as he could. In lifting the heavy stones he began to realize how much easier it is to make mischief than to repair damages afterward. He pulled and tugged, but it took him a good half-hour, and by that time he felt very tired.
"My clothes must be precious dirty," he said to himself.
A half-exclamation of surprise and dismay escaped him. This called the attention of Frank, who till that moment was unsuspicious of Dick's presence.
"Dick Bumstead!" he exclaimed, as soon as he recognized the intruder. "What brings you here at this time of night?"
"A mean errand, Frank," returned Dick, with a wholesome feeling of shame. He had made up his mind to a confession.
"You didn't come here to--to----" Here Frank stopped short.
"No, not to steal. I ain't quite so mean as that comes to. I come to let out your pigs, so that in the morning you would have a long chase after them."
"But what could put such a thing into your head, Dick?" asked Frank, in great surprise.
"I thought it would be a good joke."
"It wouldn't have been much of a joke to me," said Frank.
"No; and to tell the truth it wouldn't have been to me. The fact is, and I don't mind telling it, that I should never have thought of such a thing if somebody else hadn't put it into my head."
"Somebody else?"
"Yes; I'd a little rather not tell who that somebody is, for I don't believe he would like to have you know."
"Why didn't he come himself?" asked Frank. "It seems to me he's been making a catspaw of you."
"A catspaw?"
"Yes, haven't you read the story? A monkey wanted to draw some chestnuts out of the hot ashes, but, feeling a decided objection to burning his own paws in the operation, drew a cat to the fire and thrust her paw in."
"I don't know but it's been so in my case," said Dick. "I didn't want to do it, and that's a fact. I felt as mean as could be when I first came into your yard to-night. But he offered me two dollars to do it, and it's so seldom I see money that it tempted me."
Frank looked puzzled. "I don't see," he said thoughtfully, "how anybody should think it worth while to pay two dollars for such a piece of mischief."
"Perhaps he don't like you, and wanted to plague you," suggested Dick.
The thought at once flashed upon Frank that John Haynes must be implicated. He was the only boy who was likely to have two dollars to invest in this way, and the suggestion offered by Dick of personal enmity was sufficient to supply a motive for his action.
"I believe I know who it is, now, Dick," he said quietly. "However, I won't ask you to tell me. There is one boy in the village who thinks he has cause of complaint against me, though I have never intentionally injured him."
"What shall you do about it, Frank?" asked Dick, a little awkwardly, for he did not want his own agency made public.
"Nothing," answered Frank. "I would rather take no notice of it."
"At any rate, I hope you won't think hard of me," said Dick. "You have always treated me well, and I didn't want to trouble you. But the money tempted me. I meant to buy cigars with it."
"You don't smoke, Dick?"
"Yes, when I get a chance."
"I wouldn't if I were you. It isn't good for boys like you and me. It is an expensive habit, and injurious, too."
"I don't know but you are right, Frank," said Dick candidly.
"I know I am. You can leave off now, Dick, better than when you are older."
At this moment a voice was heard from the house, calling "Frank!"
"I came out for some herbs," said Frank hurriedly. "Jacob isn't very well, and mother is going to make him some herb tea. I won't mention that I have seen you."
"All right. Thank you, Frank."
A minute later Frank went into the house, leaving Dick by himself.
"Now," thought Dick, "I must try to remedy the mischief I have done. I'm afraid I've got a job before me."
He went round to the gap in the wall, and began to lay it again as well as he could. In lifting the heavy stones he began to realize how much easier it is to make mischief than to repair damages afterward. He pulled and tugged, but it took him a good half-hour, and by that time he felt very tired.
"My clothes must be precious dirty," he said to himself.