“Well, I am glad of it,” answered Mr. Last, surveying the bank-note through his glasses; “and it’s a current bill, too. Now run with it and pay Mr. Furnace the five dollars I borrowed of him yesterday, and said I would return to-morrow. But I’ll pay it now.”
“Ah my lad, come just in time,” said Furnace, as the boy delivered his errand and the note. “I was just wondering where I could get five dollars to pay a bill which is due to-day. Here, John,” he called to one of his apprentices, “put on your hat and take this money to Captain O’Brien, and tell him I came within one of disappointing him, when some money came in I didn’t expect.”
Captain O’Brien was on board his schooner at the next wharf, and with him was a seaman, with his hat in his hand, looking very gloomy as he spoke with him.
“I’m sorry, my man, I can’t pay you—but I have just raised and scraped the last dollar I can get above water to pay my insurance money to-day, and have not a copper left in my pocket to jingle, but keys and old nails.”
“But I am very much in need, sir; my wife is ailing, and my family are in want of a good many things just now, and I got several articles at the store expecting to get money of you to take ’em up as I went along home. We han’t in the house no flour, no tea, nor——”
“Well, my lad, I’m sorry. You must come to-morrow. I can’t help you unless I sell the coat off my back, or pawn the schooner’s kedge. Nobody pays me.”
The sailor, who had come to get an advance of wages, turned away sorrowful, when the apprentice boy came up and said, in his hearing, “Here, sir, is five dollars Mr. Furnace owes you. He says when he told you he couldn’t pay your bill to-day, he didn’t expect some money that came in after you left the shop.”
“Ah, that’s my fine boy! Here, Jack, take this five-dollar bill, and come Saturday and get the balance of your wages.”
The seaman, with a joyful bound, took the bill, and touching his hat, sprung with a light heart on shore and hastened to the store where he had already selected the comforts and necessaries which his family stood so much in need of.
As he entered, a poor woman was trying to prevail on the store-keeper to settle a demand for making his shirts.