“Good gracious, Corinthia! Do you hear that?” ejaculated Nathan.
“I hear it, Mr. Middleton, and I am not surprised,” said the lady venomously. “This is our reward for toiling day and night for this ungrateful boy. This is our reward for permitting him to upset all our plans and run riot through the house. And this is gratitude! Oh, heavens!”
“No, it isn’t,” said Tom. “I don’t see any cause for gratitude, and I haven’t pretended to feel any. You’ve had twenty dollars a week for my board, when I could get as good anywhere else for one-third the price, or some less. I think it’s you that ought to be grateful.”
“Do you hear that, Nathan? It’s an outrage.”
“I hear it, Corinthia, and I agree,” said her husband solemnly.
“May I ask if I am paying at the rate of twenty dollars a week for this supper?” inquired Tom.
Mr. Middleton was in a quandary. The bill had been paid up to that day, but for the extra portion of a day he meant to deduct payment out of the three dollars which had been given for Tom’s traveling expenses. He could not do this with any fairness unless decent meals were supplied.
“Corinthia,” he said, “you had better send for some meat.”
“Why should I? I don’t think it necessary,” said the lady reluctantly.
“I have my reasons, which you will acknowledge to be good. I will explain to you afterward.”