"Yes, sir."
"Oh, he is sure to do that," said Jeduthun, who had "assisted," as the French say, at the conference. "Once the old gentleman takes anybody up, he does it for good and all. I've no doubt he thinks by this time that he invented you in the first place. He has his ways, Mr. Francis has, but he's as good as gold and as true as steel."
"That he is, and I am glad he has taken a liking to Eben. Well, my boy, what do you say?"
"I should like to talk to mother about it before I decide, Mr. Antis," replied Eben. "I don't know but she will be afraid to stay alone."
"There's an easy way of fixing that," said Jeduthun. "Mr. Barton wants a place to board this winter—you know his wife is dead, and he's going to send his little children home to their grandmother in Hobartown, and break up housekeeping. He is a steady, clever, middle-aged man, and a very pleasant, quiet man to live with, else he never could have stood it with that wife of his'n, and I know he'd jump at the chance of going to Mrs. Fairchild's to board. Everybody knows there isn't such a cook anywhere round as Mrs. Fairchild."
"Well, you can talk to your mother and settle the matter, only decide as soon as you can, that I may write to Mr. Francis," said Mr. Antis. "He is always in a hurry to get everything settled."
Mrs. Fairchild demurred a little at first, and thought she could not have Eben run such a risk. Eben, however, made light of the danger, and assured her that he should be as safe as if he were at home in his own room.
"It will save me a deal of work in winter," said he, "because I shall be on hand to make the fires and ring the bell in the morning. I can do all that before I come home to breakfast; of course I shall spend my evenings at home the same as ever. Then, if Mr. Barton comes to board here, he will take just as good care of you as I could do."
"That is true, and he's willing to pay a good price for his board, and I don't suppose he will be much trouble about the house."
"He will never be here except at meal-times and at night," said Eben. "He stays at the mill all the evening."