Yes, he supposed he must stick where he was and take what came, though he believed he’d rather be a galley-slave, provided nobody ever spoke to him; it must be he wasn’t much of a man, after all, or nobody would dare taunt him quite as often as Hal!
There was his voice at this moment!
“Where’s the hoosier general betaken himself? I want to inquire how he’s brought out profit and loss this morning;” and Tom heard a laugh from the younger clerks that seemed the echo of Hal’s own.
CHAPTER XXIII.
“Doctor! are you there?” called a voice through Dr. Thorndyke’s speaking-tube, in the dead of night.
“Yes,” was the answer; “what’s wanted?”
“Come down right away, can’t you? It’s Aleck. Uncle Ralph isn’t all right, I think.”
“Wait three minutes for me,” and they were scarcely past when the front-door opened and the doctor was ready.