“All right then!” exclaimed the angry farmer, “go t’ th’ poorhouse! That’s th’ place fer ye! But mind ye, don’t ye come around me, askin’ t’ be took back. I’ll never let ye set foot in my place ag’in. Now who’s goin’ t’ look after ye?”
“I am!” exclaimed Mr. Harrison. “Dan shall come and live with me. I have enough for both of us.”
“Humph!” sneered Mr. Savage. “He’ll make a fine blacksmith.”
“I intend giving up the blacksmithing business,” said the old soldier. “Fortunately this legacy of ten thousand dollars makes me independent. But I do not intend to be idle. I am going into business, and Dan can help. Come, Dan.”
There were more murmurs of surprise from the crowd in the courtroom. So many surprises had never before occurred in one day. There was enough to talk about for a month.
“Good riddance t’ ye!” exclaimed Peter Savage, giving Dan an ugly look.
The boy stepped forward.
“I have a case of books at your house, Mr. Savage,” he said. “I want to get them. May I?”
“No, ye can’t have ’em!”
“But they are mine. They were given to me by my father, and I want them.”