“If you stick to that, you will be contented enough,” said Marcus.
“You won’t have to work very hard this winter, I suppose,” added Clinton, who remembered that industry was not one of Oscar’s virtues, when he knew him in Brookdale.
“No,—I’m going to the academy till next spring, if not longer,” replied Oscar.
“Are you?” inquired Clinton.
“And I shouldn’t wonder if I had Cousin Marcus for a teacher, too,” added Oscar.
“Why, that would be complete!” said Whistler.
“Yes; the trustees want him to be an assistant teacher this winter, but he hasn’t given them any answer yet,” continued Oscar.
“I should admire to have you for a teacher, I know I should,” said Ella. “I should expect you would show me lots of favors.”
“Perhaps I should,” replied Marcus; “but possibly they might not be just such favors as you would like. We had a teacher in our district school, once, who had his wife’s brother for one of his pupils. He was a large boy, and quite a good sort of a fellow, too; but he got more whippings than any two boys in the school. I suppose his brother-in-law thought he must show him some favors.”
“But you wouldn’t serve me in that way?” said Ella.