“That’s the talk, ma! I am glad you don’t mean to be imposed upon. I suppose old Wilkins thinks you are soft, and won’t see him suffer. You’d better keep a stiff upper lip.”
“He will know me better after a while,” said Mrs. Ross.
The afternoon wore away, and supper came. Philip partook as usual, and waited afterward in the confident expectation that his father would open the small trunk. He was not mistaken.
Upon retiring to his special apartment, Colonel Ross took up the trunk, and, producing the key, opened it.
It so happened that he was after some papers, and did not immediately take up the envelope containing the government bonds. Philip was rather afraid he wouldn’t, and ventured to remind him of them by a question.
“How many government bonds have you in that envelope, pa?” he asked.
“A little over a thousand dollars,” answered Colonel Ross.
“Will you let me look at one? I want to see how it looks.”
This question led the colonel to open the envelope. He took out a bond and handed it to Philip.
“Are these coupons?” asked Philip, who knew perfectly well, but only wanted to fix his father’s attention.