The Errand Boy [34]
amazement.
"No. I was goin' to ask you. I s'posed, of course, they'd write and let you know."
"I didn't even know they had left Gresham."
"Well, that's what I call cur'us. It ain't treatin' you right accordin' to my ideas."
"Is the house shut up?"
"It was till two days ago. Then a brother of Mrs. Brent came and opened it. He has brought his wife and one child with him, and it seems they're goin' to live there. Somebody asked him where his sister and Jonas were, but they didn't get no satisfaction. He said he didn't rightly know himself. He believed they was travelin'; thought they might be in Canada."
Phil looked and felt decidedly sober at this information. He understood, of course, now, why his letter had not been answered. It looked as if he were an outcast from the home that had been his so long. When he came to New York to earn a living he felt that he was doing so voluntarily, and was not obliged to do so. Now he was absolutely thrown upon his own resources, and must either work or starve.
"They've treated you real mean," said Reuben.
"I never did like Mrs. Brent, or Jonas either, for that matter.
"Where are you working?"
Phil answered this question and several others which his honest country friend asked, but his mind was preoccupied, and he answered some of the questions at random. Finally he excused himself on the ground that he must be getting back to the store.
That evening Phil thought seriously of his position. Something must be done, that was very evident. His expenses exceeded his income, and he needed some clothing. There was no chance of getting his wages raised under a year, for he already received more pay than it was customary to give to a boy. What should he do?
Phil decided to lay his position frankly before the only friend he had in the city likely to help him-- Mr. Oliver Carter. The old gentleman had been so friendly and kind that he felt that he would not at any rate repulse him. After he had come to this decision he felt better. He determined to lose no time in calling upon Mr. Carter.
After supper he brushed his hair carefully, and made himself look as well as circumstances would admit. Then he bent his steps toward Twelfth Street, where, as the reader will remember, Mr. Carter lived with his niece.
He ascended the steps and rang the bell. It was opened by Hannah, who recognized him, having admitted him on the former occasion of his calling.
"Good-evening," said Phil pleasantly. "Is Mr. Carter at home?"
"No, sir," answered Hannah. "Didn't you know he had gone to Florida?"
"Gone to Florida!" repeated Phil, his heart sinking. "When did he start?"
"He started this afternoon."
"Who's asking after Uncle Oliver?" asked a boy's voice.
Looking behind Hannah, Phil recognized the speaker as Alonzo Pitkin.
CHAPTER XXI.
"THEY MET BY CHANCE."
Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?" demanded Alonzo superciliously.
"I was," answered Philip.
"Oh! it's you, is it?" said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
"Yes," answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive. "You remember me, don't you?"
"You are the boy that got round Uncle Oliver, and got him to give you a place in pa's store."
"I deny that I got round him," returned Phil warmly. "I had the good luck to do him a favor."
"I suppose you have come after money?" said Alonzo coarsely.
"I sha'n't ask you for any, at any rate," said Phil angrily.
"No; it wouldn't do any good," said Alonzo; "and it's no use asking ma, either. She says you are an adventurer, and have designs on Uncle Oliver because he is rich."
"I shall not ask your mother for any favor," said Phil, provoked. "I am sorry not to meet your uncle."
"I dare say!" sneered Alonzo.
Just then a woman, poorly but neatly dressed, came down stairs. Her face was troubled. Just behind her came Mrs. Pitkin, whose face wore a chilly and proud look.
"Mr. Carter has left the city, and I really don't know when he will return," Phil heard her
"No. I was goin' to ask you. I s'posed, of course, they'd write and let you know."
"I didn't even know they had left Gresham."
"Well, that's what I call cur'us. It ain't treatin' you right accordin' to my ideas."
"Is the house shut up?"
"It was till two days ago. Then a brother of Mrs. Brent came and opened it. He has brought his wife and one child with him, and it seems they're goin' to live there. Somebody asked him where his sister and Jonas were, but they didn't get no satisfaction. He said he didn't rightly know himself. He believed they was travelin'; thought they might be in Canada."
Phil looked and felt decidedly sober at this information. He understood, of course, now, why his letter had not been answered. It looked as if he were an outcast from the home that had been his so long. When he came to New York to earn a living he felt that he was doing so voluntarily, and was not obliged to do so. Now he was absolutely thrown upon his own resources, and must either work or starve.
"They've treated you real mean," said Reuben.
"I never did like Mrs. Brent, or Jonas either, for that matter.
"Where are you working?"
Phil answered this question and several others which his honest country friend asked, but his mind was preoccupied, and he answered some of the questions at random. Finally he excused himself on the ground that he must be getting back to the store.
That evening Phil thought seriously of his position. Something must be done, that was very evident. His expenses exceeded his income, and he needed some clothing. There was no chance of getting his wages raised under a year, for he already received more pay than it was customary to give to a boy. What should he do?
Phil decided to lay his position frankly before the only friend he had in the city likely to help him-- Mr. Oliver Carter. The old gentleman had been so friendly and kind that he felt that he would not at any rate repulse him. After he had come to this decision he felt better. He determined to lose no time in calling upon Mr. Carter.
After supper he brushed his hair carefully, and made himself look as well as circumstances would admit. Then he bent his steps toward Twelfth Street, where, as the reader will remember, Mr. Carter lived with his niece.
He ascended the steps and rang the bell. It was opened by Hannah, who recognized him, having admitted him on the former occasion of his calling.
"Good-evening," said Phil pleasantly. "Is Mr. Carter at home?"
"No, sir," answered Hannah. "Didn't you know he had gone to Florida?"
"Gone to Florida!" repeated Phil, his heart sinking. "When did he start?"
"He started this afternoon."
"Who's asking after Uncle Oliver?" asked a boy's voice.
Looking behind Hannah, Phil recognized the speaker as Alonzo Pitkin.
CHAPTER XXI.
"THEY MET BY CHANCE."
Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?" demanded Alonzo superciliously.
"I was," answered Philip.
"Oh! it's you, is it?" said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
"Yes," answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone, which was meant to be offensive. "You remember me, don't you?"
"You are the boy that got round Uncle Oliver, and got him to give you a place in pa's store."
"I deny that I got round him," returned Phil warmly. "I had the good luck to do him a favor."
"I suppose you have come after money?" said Alonzo coarsely.
"I sha'n't ask you for any, at any rate," said Phil angrily.
"No; it wouldn't do any good," said Alonzo; "and it's no use asking ma, either. She says you are an adventurer, and have designs on Uncle Oliver because he is rich."
"I shall not ask your mother for any favor," said Phil, provoked. "I am sorry not to meet your uncle."
"I dare say!" sneered Alonzo.
Just then a woman, poorly but neatly dressed, came down stairs. Her face was troubled. Just behind her came Mrs. Pitkin, whose face wore a chilly and proud look.
"Mr. Carter has left the city, and I really don't know when he will return," Phil heard her