“I had no business to do it,” he said. “I’ve a mind to drive back and see if I can find them.”
He concluded to do this, but not until he had first arrayed himself properly, in case anybody else should come along. Then he retraced his course, and finding the discarded garments, went back into the woods, where he could put them on with less chance of being interrupted.
Upon reaching Mr. Howlitt’s, Larry could not help imagining that every one was thinking of his recent escapade, and he went about his work in a confused way. Somehow he did not dare to show his new clothes, so he carried them to his room when no one was looking. But he was not to keep his secret long, if it could be called a secret, for the next morning he was questioned in regard to them. It proved that his employer had given him the money in the way he had in order to see what he would do with it.
“I will tell you, papa,” said Lucy, “for I think Lawrence is too modest to do so. He has a new suit of clothes, and I think we ought to see how they look on him, don’t you?”
So Larry was persuaded to try on his new suit, and while he felt in a most uncomfortable frame of mind, the clothes were declared to be a good fit, and well worth the money.
“I see no reason now why you cannot attend the Fourth at Gainsboro,” said Mr. Howlitt, with a laugh.
“I mean to, sir,” replied Larry, though he little dreamed under what circumstances.
A few days later, as he and Job were at work in what was called “the further field,” on their way home they overheard some one talking in a loud tone in an old barn standing some distance from the road.
Drawn thither out of curiosity, they looked into the building through one of the cracks between the boards, to find Pluto Alexander Snyder there reciting a “piece” with all the gusto at his command.
“By gum!” whispered Job, “if he ain’t oratin’ his Gainsboro stump speech, he may hitch me up to draw the cultivator ’tween the corn rows to-morrer. Ain’t he a squelcher?”