“Because I shall forbid the boy to pay for it. He’s got the money, as I’ve found out, but part of it belongs to me, and I won’t have him spendin’ it so extravagantly.”
“I shan’t be able to oblige you, Mr. Tarbox. The suit will be made up, as I agreed, and delivered to Grant.”
“Well, you’ll be takin’ a risk. I’ve warned you that you won’t get your pay.”
“You are behind the times, Mr. Tarbox. You have taken your walk for nothing. The suit is already paid for.”
“It is just as I said. Grant has paid me for the suit in advance. I advise you to give me an order and do the same thing.”
Mr. Tarbox felt that he had been outwitted. He persuaded himself that Grant had treated him meanly. Of course there was no resource. He was too wise to ask Mr. Shick to refund the money, for he knew he would not do it. He found nothing to say, and shuffled out, looking down in the mouth.
“There goes the meanest man in town!” soliloquized the tailor, as his visitor walked slowly down the road. “Grant must have a pretty uncomfortable time at home. I am glad that in this case the boy has got the better of his step-father.”
“He’s got five dollars left,” reflected Mr. Tarbox. “I’d ought to have that, for it was in my time that he earned the money. I’ll go upstairs and get it to-night when Grant is asleep.”
Grant went to bed about nine o’clock, for he was tired out, and he was soon asleep.
Usually he did not wake up at all till morning, but it so happened that this night he waked up about eleven, and saw Mr. Tarbox rummaging in the pocket of his pantaloons.
He hardly knew whether to feel amused or indignant.
“What are you doing here, Mr. Tarbox?” he demanded in a voice which he made purposely loud.
Mr. Tarbox had not bargained for Grant’s being awake, and he had the grace to look ashamed, but he put a bold face on it.
“I’ve come for the rest of the money you got for stoppin’ the train,” he said.
“What right have you to it, Mr. Tarbox,” said Grant, more amused than surprised. “It was given to me.”
“Mebbe it was, but you stopped the train in my time, and I’d ought to have half the money.”
“I know you’ve fooled away twenty dollars on a new suit, when you might have had Rodney’s; but you got as much as twenty-five dollars, so Jotham Perry said.”