CHAPTER IV
A TROUBLESOME BOARDER.
TOM RE-ENTERED his new boarding-place as the clock struck eight. Mr. and Mrs. Middleton were discussing him, but stopped short as he came in. They foresaw that he would be troublesome, but there is great power in money, and they had just a thousand reasons for keeping on good terms with him.
“Have you been taking a walk, Mr. Temple?” said Nathan blandly.
“Yes, sir.”
“I hope you like our village,” chimed in the lady.
“I don’t know,” said Tom. “I don’t like the people much.”
“Indeed! May I ask why?”
“They stared as me as if they had never seen a gentleman before, and one old woman stopped and wanted to know all about me.”
“It must have been Prudence Peabody,” said Mr. Middleton. “How did she look?”