“He thought it would be safe to cheat a boy.”
“Yes; but admitting all that, you two were likely to make money. In Wilkesville your profits were a hundred dollars in one evening. Half of that belonged to the professor, at any rate. He has lost his partner, and gained only fifty dollars, which would not begin to pay him for your loss.”
“Perhaps he thought he would draw as well alone.”
“Then he is very much mistaken. To tell the plain truth, our people thought very little of his share of the performance. I saw some of them laughing when he was ranting away. It was you they enjoyed hearing.”
“I am glad of that,” said Philip, gratified.
“There’s no humbug about your playing. You understand it. It was you that saved the credit of the evening, and sent people away well satisfied.”
“I am glad of that, at any rate, even if I didn’t get a cent for my playing,” said Philip, well pleased.
“The money’s the practical part of it,” said the landlord. “Of course, I am glad when travelers like my hotel, but if they should run off without paying, like the professor, I shouldn’t enjoy it so much.”
“No, I suppose not,” said Philip, with a laugh.
They had ridden some seven miles, and were, therefore, only three miles from Knoxville, without the slightest intimation as to whether or not they were on the right track.