Philip’s tone was so calm and free from excitement that Mr. Tucker could not help seeing that he was in earnest, and he looked perplexed.
“You don’t look at it in the right light,” he said, condescending to conciliate his new boarder. “If you don’t make no trouble, you’ll have a good time, and I’ll let you off, now an’ then, to play with Zeke. He needs a boy to play with.”
Philip smiled, for the offer did not attract him very much.
“You are very kind,” he said, “but I don’t think that even that will reconcile me to staying here with you. But, if you’ll agree to let me pay you for the supper, you may bring me up some.”
“The town will pay me,” said Tucker.
“That’s just what I don’t want the town to do,” said Philip quickly. “I will make you an offer. At sixty cents a week the meals for one day will not cost over ten cents. I’ll pay you ten cents for supper and breakfast.”
“You’re a cur’us boy,” said Tucker. “You want to pay for your vittles in a free boardin’-house.”
“It isn’t free to me. At any rate, I don’t want it to be. What do you say?”
“Oh, I ain’t no objections to take your money,” said Tucker, laughing. “I didn’t know you was so rich.”
“I am not rich, but I think I can pay my board as long as I stay here.”