``have you carried frank fowler to thepoorhouse?'' asked tom pinkerton, eagerly, on hisfather's return.
``no, said the deacon, ``he is going to make a visitat mr. pomeroy's first.''
``i shouldn't think you would have let him makea visit,'' said tom, discontentedly. ``i should thinkyou would have taken him to the poorhouse rightoff.''
``i feel it my duty to save the town unnecessaryexpense,'' said deacon pinkerton.
so tom was compelled to rest satisfied with hisfather's assurance that the removal was only deferred.
meanwhile frank and grace received a cordialwelcome at the house of mr. pomeroy. sam and frankwere intimate friends, and our hero had been in thehabit of calling frequently, and it seemed homelike.
``i wish you could stay with us all the time, frank--you and grace,'' said sam one evening.
``we should all like it,'' said mr. pomeroy, ``but wecannot always have what we want. if i had it in mypower to offer frank any employment which itwould be worth his while to follow, it might do. buthe has got his way to make in the world. have youformed any plans yet, frank?''
``that is what i want to consult you about, mr.
pomeroy.''
``i will give you the best advice i can, frank. isuppose you do not mean to stay in the village.''
``no, sir. there is nothing for me to do here. imust go somewhere where i can make a living forgrace and myself.''
``you've got a hard row to hoe, frank,'' said mr.
pomeroy, thoughtfully. ``have you decided where togo?''
``yes, sir. i shall go to new york.''
``what! to the city?''
``yes, sir. i'll get something to do, no matterwhat it is.''
``but how are you going to live in the meantime?''
``i've got a little money.''
``that won't last long.''
``i know it, but i shall soon get work, if it is onlyto black boots in the streets.''
``with that spirit, frank, you will stand a fairchance to succeed. what do you mean to do withgrace?''
``i will take her with me.''
``i can think of a better plan. leave her here tillyou have found something to do. then send for her.''
``but if i leave her here deacon pinkerton willwant to put her in the poorhouse. i can't bear tohave grace go there.''
``she need not. she can stay here with me forthree months.''
``will you let me pay her board?''
``i can afford to give her board for three months.''
``you are very kind, mr. pomeroy, but it wouldn'tbe right for me to accept your kindness. it is myduty to take care of grace.''
``i honor your independence, frank. it shall beas you say. when you are able-mind, not till then--you may pay me at the rate of two dollars a weekfor grace's board.''
``then,'' said frank, ``if you are willing to boardgrace for a while, i think i had better go to the cityat once.''
``i will look over your clothes to-morrow, frank,''
said mrs. pomeroy, ``and see if they need mending.''
``then i will start thursday morning--the dayafter.''
about four o'clock the next afternoon he was walkingup the main street, when just in front of deaconpinkerton's house he saw tom leaning against atree.
``how are you tom?'' he said, and was about topass on.
``where are you going?'' tom asked abruptly.
``to mr. pomeroy's.''
``how soon are you going to the poorhouse tolive?''
``who told you i was going?''
``my father.''
``then your father's mistaken.''
``ain't you a pauper?'' said tom, insolently. ``youhaven't got any money.''
``i have got hands to earn money, and i am goingto try.''
``anyway, i advise you to resign as captain of thebaseball club.''
``why?''
``because if you don't you'll be kicked out. doyou think the fellows will be willing to have a pauperfor their captain?''
``that's the second time you have called me apauper. don't call me so again.''
``you are a pauper and you know it.''
frank was not a quarrelsome boy, but thisrepeated insult was too much for him. he seized tomby the collar, and tripping him up left him on theground howling with rage. as valor was not hisstrong point, he resolved to be revenged upon frankvicariously. he was unable to report the case to hisfather till the next morning, as the deacon did notreturn from a neighboring village, whither he hadgone on business, till late, but the result of hiscommunication was a call at mr. pomeroy's from thedeacon at nine o'clock the next morning. had hefound frank, it was his intention, at tom's request,to take him at once to the poorhouse. but he wastoo late. our hero was already on his way to newyork.
