t must not be supposed that tom cared nothing for the loss of his fortune. he was old enough to know the value of money, and to realize the great difference it would make in the life that lay before him. but he was one of those who think it foolish to cry over spilled milk, and he at once resolved to make the best of his position. as to the loss of such friends as the davenports, he cared little. he had always understood that they cared for him only because he was rich, and he was neither astonished nor disappointed at the change which had come over them.
he made two other calls and then returned to his boarding-house. he went up-stairs to his room and packed his trunk. as he was thus engaged, mr. middleton tapped at the door.
“come in,” said tom.
mr. middleton entered.
“there is a little matter i wished to speak to you about,” said nathan.
“very well, sir.”
“mr. sharp paid your board-bill up to to-day.”
“very well, sir.”
“but there will be one day over, for which no pay has been received.”
“oh!” said tom; “there will be no difficulty about that. tell me how much it is, and i will pay you.”
mr. middleton coughed.
“it can be settled another way,” he said. “mr. sharp handed me three dollars for your traveling expenses. i can take it out of that.”
“just as you like.”
“i find,” proceeded nathan, “that one-seventh of twenty dollars is two dollars and eighty-six cents. i will, therefore, hand you fourteen cents, and that will make us square.”
tom’s lip curled, for he fully appreciated mr. middleton’s meanness.
“never mind about the change,” he said. “keep the three dollars.”
“i am quite ready to pay you the fourteen cents,” said nathan.
“it’s of no consequence. keep it to remember me by.”
“i shall remember you, thomas,” said mr. middleton, whose heart was touched by the unexpected gift. “i am really sorry that circumstances are to separate us.”
“no doubt you’ll miss my money,” thought tom; but it was his rule to treat others as they treated him, and he answered politely:
“i should prefer to have kept my money, but i must take things as they come.”
“you may get a part of your money back; if you do, i shall be happy to receive you back into my family on the same terms.”
“i can’t tell what my plans will be,” said tom, who could not pretend that he wished to return. “if i should desire to return, i will write to you.”
mr. middleton on second thoughts had thought it best to treat our hero well, as there was no knowing but some of the bad investments might turn out better than was expected.
tom went to bed early. the next morning the centerville stage drove round to the door, and he got on board. mr. middleton bade him a cordial farewell, but mrs. middleton had less hopes of the restoration of his fortunes. she coldly said good-by, and tom shed no tears at parting.
before twelve o’clock he entered mr. sharp’s office.
“glad to see you, tom,” said the lawyer, rising quickly. “i suppose you’ve heard the news?”
“yes, sir.”
“i am heartily sorry,” said the lawyer. “i hope you don’t think it my fault.”
“i haven’t heard the particulars,” said tom; “but i felt sure you were not to blame.”
“sit down, and i’ll tell you all about it,” said mr. sharp.
“i was going to ask that favor,” said tom. “i didn’t get a very clear idea from mr. middleton as to what had happened, or rather how it happened. he told me i had only a few hundred dollars to look to now.”
“i hope it will be better than that. ten thousand dollars were lent to archibald armstrong, a new york merchant, who has failed. his estate will pay something, though very little. if only ten per cent., that would amount to a thousand. that’s something.”
“to be sure it is,” said tom.
“then you have fifteen thousand dollars invested in mining shares. they are worth very little, but they will sell for something.”
“do you think i shall get ten per cent. on these?”
“i think you will.”
“why, that will be fifteen hundred more! really, things are not so bad as they might be,” said tom cheerfully.
“i am glad you take it so well, tom. but i can’t offer you any hope of realizing anything from the balance. it was invested in merchandise shipped to a foreign port, and the vessel, we have every reason to believe, is lost.”
“not much chance there,” said tom.
“we had better give up all hopes in that quarter. as to the other items, you may depend upon my doing my best for you.”
“thank you,” said tom warmly. “it is pleasant to get a little sympathy. i didn’t get much in plympton.”
“from mr. middleton, you mean.”
“yes, and others. mr. and mrs. middleton are both as mean as they can well be. notwithstanding the liberal board i paid, they tried to starve me at first, but i wouldn’t stand it, and they had to improve their fare.”
“didn’t they express any sorrow at losing you?”
“oh, they were sorry enough, but it was at losing the money. then there was a lawyer’s family, who were very polite and attentive to me while i was rich; but as soon as they learned of my reverses, they tried to look down upon me, but they didn’t succeed very well,” said tom, with satisfaction. “i gave them as good as they sent.”
“i’ll warrant that, tom,” said mr. sharp, laughing. “you generally do.”
“i’d like to get rich again just to turn the tables on them,” said tom thoughtfully.
“you must take the world as you find it,” said the lawyer. “there are more selfish than unselfish people in it. but you musn’t jump to the conclusion that all men are mercenary.”
“i am sure they are not,” said tom.
“keep your confidence in human nature, my boy, and you will be happier. don’t become a cynic. it would only make you unhappy. besides it would be unjust to the large number of really excellent people, some of whom i hope you will meet. but to come back to your affairs, what would you like to do?”
“what can i do?”
“you can go to a boarding-school a year without exceeding the money i have to your credit. then if you realize what i think probable, you can continue yet longer, and still have something to begin the world with.”
tom looked thoughtful.
“i am sixteen,” he said, “and my education is good, though it might be better. i have thought i should like to seek my fortune in the world.”
“don’t decide hastily, tom. another year at school would do you good.”
“i know it, and i will take time to consider. but i must know more of the world first. give me fifty dollars, and let me go to new york and look about me. it will keep me there a fortnight. during that time i will look around and decide how to spend the next year.”
“you have my consent, tom,” said the lawyer. “the city abounds in temptations, but you are sixteen, and i trust to your good sense to keep clear of them. when do you want to go?”
“to-morrow,” said tom promptly.
“very well. you will stay at my house to-day, and you can take the morning train for the city to-morrow. the money shall be ready.”
