Jonas was getting angry again. Nat could see that by the looks of his face.
“Are you sure there is nothing in it?” he asked, in a voice which trembled in spite of himself.
“Not a thing. You can examine it and see for yourself. I shall not last long—”
“I don’t want to hear no such talk as that. You will last longer than I will, I bet you. Nat, have you got any of this book stowed away about your good clothes?”
“No, sir, I have not,” answered Nat, rising to his feet. “You can search me and see.”
Nat was perfectly safe in making this proposition. We said he had put those two leaves into his pocket; so he did; but he had taken pains to conceal them since. In a remote corner of the barn were some corn huskings which Caleb had left there as he was working at the grain to be taken to the mill. Underneath that pile were the two leaves that Jonas wanted to find.
“That’s the way you always serve me when you think I have got anything you want,” said Nat boldly. “You took a quarter away from me that I had left after buying my shoes, and I haven’t seen it since.”
“Of course I did. It was the properest thing that I should have the handling of all your money; but any more such talk as that will bring the switch down on your shoulders in good shape. You hear me? There’s nothing but reading in this book, you say old man?”
“That’s all, and you would not have it when I offered it to you. I gave you a thousand dollars which you promised—”
“Aw! shut up about that,” said Jonas, rising to his feet; for in order to hold conversation with Mr. Nickerson he had kneeled down by his side. “There’s nothing in here that tells about the money?”