"Well, good-bye! Have a good holiday, because there will be plenty of work when you get to Portsmouth."
A good holiday! How surprised both would have been had they known the kind of holiday which was in store for Jim!
Instead of going straight to work, the boy ran home with his bag of books, and stayed a few minutes with his mother, chatting of the splendid send-off to Mr. Laythorne.
"Dick led the cheering," said he, "and we all sang, 'For he's a jolly good fellow!'"
"So he is," said Mrs. Hartland, smiling—"none better, as far as we are concerned."
"Well, I must be off," remarked Jim, "or Mr. Broad will wonder if I'm lost."
They were very busy at the shop, and the boy worked away with a will. Perhaps the breaking-up scene had put him in good spirits; at any rate, the stationer remarked on his cheerfulness. While they were waiting for the evening papers, Jim, anxious not to waste time, sat down in a recess and began addressing a pile of labels.
Suddenly he saw a man pass the window, stop as if hesitating, and then enter the shop. Knowing his employer was at the counter, he went on with his work, not thinking he would be required.
"I can polish these things off to-night if I peg away at them," he said to himself. "Where's that other book of addresses, I wonder? Oh, I see!"
He got up to fetch the volume. From where he stood he could just see the top of Mr. Broad's head, but nothing of the customer. He heard his employer say "Good-evening," to which the stranger replied in a tone that made Jim jump.