“Oh, he’s afraid something might happen to me, I guess. You’d think I was made of glass, the way he fusses about me. I’ve never had any good times in my life. If I want to do anything I have to have a tutor or somebody right with me.”
“I didn’t see any tutor around yesterday afternoon,” observed Dan, dryly.
Gerald grinned.
“He went over to town to buy something. I was supposed to be studying, but I wasn’t. He got fired this morning,” he added cheerfully.
“That’s a shame!” exclaimed Dan. Gerald looked surprised.
“Why is it?” he asked.
“Because he’s lost his place and it wasn’t his fault.”
“Yes, it was, though. Father told him he wasn’t to leave the place except after six in the evening. And he disobeyed. It served him right. I told father, though,” Gerald added magnanimously, “that I didn’t mind if he stayed. It might as well be Old Faunce as anyone else. But father said he had to go. He’s upstairs now, packing his things. I won’t have to do any studying until we get a new one. I hope it will take a long time to find one.”
“You don’t seem to care much about lessons,” said Dan, smilingly. Gerald looked doubtful.