“I won’t!” answered Jerry almost savagely. “I’m going to make you fellows glad you did it, see if I don’t!”
Nelson clapped him on the shoulder.
“That’s the way to talk, Jerry! And if you can get that place at St. Alfred’s it’ll make a lot of difference. Why, you can learn any amount there this winter, and have your board and room besides. Mr. Cozzens said it wouldn’t be awfully easy, you know, plenty of work and all that; but you’ll have time for lessons and study, all right.”
“I don’t care how hard the work is,” answered Jerry. “I can do it. Only——”
“Only what?” asked Bob as he hesitated.
“Only I don’t know as I ought to go. You see, I engaged with Mr. Osgood for all winter.”
“Oh, he will let you off,” said Nelson. “We’ll see him and tell him just how it is. That’ll be all right, Jerry.”
“I hope so,” said Jerry. “There’s the farm now; that’s his house, the white one yonder.”
Evidently Mr. Osgood was one of the progressive sort. Everything about the place, from the busy windmill to the big white house with its wide verandas and well-graveled walks, was scrupulously neat and clean, and a general air of prosperity pervaded it. And when they had rattled up the driveway to the barn, and the owner of the premises appeared before them, they discovered him to be just such a man as his place indicated. He was middle-aged, tall, and muscular looking, with a pair of humorous and kindly blue eyes which sparkled brightly from his tanned face. The boys liked him on the instant, and Nelson decided that he would not have much difficulty in securing Jerry’s release.