It was dinner-time when Richard had finished writing out the advertisement. Mrs. Massanet had prepared only a lunch, reserving a regular meal for the evening.
After he had eaten the time hung heavy upon Richard's hands. He put on his hat and sauntered down the street, and finally concluded to pay a visit to his friends at the Watch Below. He had not seen Doc Linyard since that visit to Frying Pan Court, and he was curious to know how Tom Clover was, and if the property in England had been heard from further.
It being the middle of the afternoon, trade at the small restaurant was slack, and Richard found both the old sailor and his wife glad to see him.
"Tom's mendin' fast," was the old sailor's reply to Richard's question concerning the sick man. "We are goin' to bring him down here to-morrow or the day after. He's in his bearings again—right mind, you know—and I think as how the worst is over."
"And where is Pep?"
"Pep's to school; I sent him last week. He's got to have an eddication, no two ways on it. Betty's goin' to manage it with Tom when he is well."
"I am glad to hear that. And how about your property?"
"Oh, it's safe. Last week I run afoul of an old lawyer friend of mine—saved his life onct in a blow off Cape Hatteras—and he's taken it in tow. He's written to the lawyers on the tudder side and we're to fix it up just as soon as Tom's strong enough to sign articles." "Goods enough," said Richard, heartily.
During the course of the conversation which followed he told Doc Linyard of his hopes of finding some one who had known his father during the war.
"Tom is an old soldier!" exclaimed Doc. "He took to the army and I took to the navy."