“It is the truth, sir.”
“You can’t pay, then?”
“No, sir; but if you will wait——”
“Wait, madam! I expect my tenants to pay up promptly. My experience is that if one can’t pay on the first one can’t pay on the second or third, and that if you trust a tenant once he always tries to take advantage of your good nature.”
“But, sir, I have never failed to have the money ready before, and we have lived here more than a year.”
“Quite right, madam; and in consideration of that fact I will on this occasion allow three days’ grace. I will call at twelve o’clock on Friday, and if you are not ready to pay then, I will have to serve you with dispossess proceedings. Good day, madam.”
Mr. Grab thereupon took his departure, leaving his distressed tenants in a sad state of perplexity as to where the needed fifteen dollars would come from in so short a space of time.
CHAPTER II.
IN WHICH JACK HAZARD MAKES A HERO OF HIMSELF.
When Jack Hazard left his home that morning, after kissing his mother and sister, as was his invariable custom, he was in good spirits.