“I’m glad you are going home with me to supper to-night,” was Harry’s first speech as they left the assembly room that evening. As the boys were obliged to line up for roll call before going home, the chums did not now have to meet on the street corner. “I’ve a lot to tell you.”
“Good news?” questioned Teddy.
“No.” Harry’s face clouded. “I never have any good news to tell.” His voice vibrated with bitterness.
“Go ahead. Tell me your troubles. After you’re done, I’ll tell you something funny.”
Harry related the disheartening events of the afternoon. Teddy listened, his elfish face unusually solemn.
“I wish I hadn’t called your aisle man ‘some crank,’” he deplored. “That started the whole business.”
“No, I don’t believe so,” disagreed Harry. “If you hadn’t said a word he would have treated me just the same. Miss Welch says he treats all his boys that way. I can’t go on any more errands for him, it wouldn’t be fair to Martin Brothers.”
“Suppose he asks you.”
“I’ll say ‘no,’” was Harry’s firm response, “but I’ll offer to do the errand for him when the store closes.”
“You’re easy if you do anything of the kind,” burst forth Teddy. “Why, he can’t say a single thing to you if you say you won’t go on his old errands.”