“Why, Tom—Tom! if Mr. Blackford paid you, then——”
“Then it’s pretty good evidence, Mother, that I earned the money!” finished Tom with a laugh. “You don’t often catch Mr. Blackford paying for something he hasn’t had. I certainly earned this!”
Tom sighed in memory of the long hours of hard work he had given in exchange for that small amount of money.
“But why should he pay you ahead of time, Tom?”
“Because, Mother, there isn’t going to be any more time for me at Mr. Blackford’s store—that is not right away. I’m through—paid off, as it were.”
“Oh, Tom! I hope you didn’t have a quarrel with him!”
“Not in the least, Mother. It was a plain business proposition. He said he couldn’t afford to hire me after school any more to do some of his errands, and help straighten out the stock. So he paid me what he owed me, and here I am.
“I quit an hour earlier, you see, though I didn’t lose anything by it, and I thought maybe you’d come for a walk.”
“I’d like to, Tom, but really I must finish this dress. Oh, I’m so sorry Mr. Blackford couldn’t keep you.”
“So am I, Mother, particularly as we need the money. But I think I can find something else to do. Business is picking up a little. I’m going to be on the lookout. Something is sure to turn up. And I do hope it will be something worth while, so I can, by some means or other, get enough ahead to go to West Point.”