“No, my dear, except that he went to California in the steerage, I believe. I suspect he was very destitute.”
“I am glad of it,” said Mrs. Middleton emphatically. “It does me good to see pride have a fall, and that boy was the proudest upstart I ever met.”
“He certainly had a great appetite, my dear, and was very particular about his accommodations.”
“To think of his insisting on a mattress! Really, Nathan, we were fools to give up to him.”
“Well, my dear, we got very high board for him.”
“Very true; I wouldn’t have stood his impudence otherwise. Squire Davenport’s family got disgusted with him. He put on his airs even with them. So he went in the steerage, did he?”
“So I heard.”
“I warrant he would have been glad to get back to our home, much as he turned up his nose at it.”
Here there was a knock at the door, and a minute later the servant entered, ushering in our hero.
“Good gracious!” ejaculated Mr. Middleton. “Is it you, Thomas?”