"I shall have to stick to my books, though, if I want to get on," said Jack, to whom book-learning was not pleasant.
"Yes, you will; for, as you know, I have had to do it, old as I am, that if ever the chance came in my way I might be able to take it. There will be arithmetic, and lots of other things to learn of an evening," added his father.
"But you will go this week, at any rate," said his mother; "for I shall fidget about your father unless I know he has somebody to look after him."
"Why, mother, what do you take me for?" said Jack, in a half-offended tone. "Of course I am very glad to go with father, because you will know things are all right; unless I write and tell you he is not so well, and ought to come home."
Brown laughed. "I see you are to go as a sort of keeper, as though I was not to be trusted by myself."
"Well, something like it," admitted his wife. "I know how anxious you are to keep this work, now you have got it. How hard you have tried to fit yourself for this kind of work if ever it came in your way, that you may be inclined not to give it up even when you ought, for fear you should lose it altogether."
"Well, you may be right," said Brown, "for I don't mind telling you that I should be awfully disappointed to lose my present job now. It is responsible work, and requires all a man's thought and attention while he is at it. And because of that, I hope I should not be tempted to stop on when I wasn't fit, even to save my place. So, if Jack sees I am not up to the mark, he must tell me, and I will come home at once, and go under the doctor again. There is no telling what might happen if there was any mistake or neglect where I am now."
"All right, father; don't worry yourself about it," interrupted Jack. "I will keep a strict watch, never fear; and if you only blink as though you had got the headache, off you go, and I shall send for the foreman."
"Right you are, lad," said Brown. "That is what I want you to do for me; and you can think about the book-learning, and whether you will take it up when you are off duty."
"So I can. And I dare say by the end of the week I shall be able to make up my mind whether the job will be worth all the trouble and bother and fuss of having to learn this and that."