“What can he do?”
“He can discharge your father.”
“Father can get as much wages in another place as he can here. Perhaps he will be wanted on the Ruoara, now Christy has run away.”
“But his house is here, and he meant to stay in Centreport. Besides, Mr. Wimpleton can turn us out of the house if we don’t pay the money, which will be due in a few days.”
“I hope Mr. Mortimer will catch Christy, and get the money. If he don’t, there is a man in town who offered thirty-five hundred dollars for the place; and that is more than it cost, and father won’t lose anything.”
“You don’t know Mr. Wimpleton, Wolfert. He is a terrible man when he is offended. If the place were sold at auction, as it would be, he has influence enough to prevent any one from bidding on it; and your father might lose every cent he has left in the world.”
“What would you have me do, mother?” I asked, rising from my chair, considerably excited. “Shall I say that I helped Waddie blow up the canal boat?”
“No, certainly not, Wolfert, unless you did help him.”
“Do you think I did, mother?”
“No, I can’t think so, after what you have said.”