“Yes, sir,” replied Clinton; “but he looked like a good boy, and his letter reads well, too. Don’t you think so?”
“Yes,” replied Mr. Preston; “and, as you were so well impressed by him, I think I will see him, at any rate, before I engage a boy.”
“And if he gets the place, he must thank you for it, Clinton,” said Whistler.
“No, it will be owing to his writing such a good letter,” replied Clinton. “If he had made such a bungling piece of work as that other boy did, I wouldn’t have owned him as an acquaintance.”
Thus the evening passed away in pleasant conversation, and all seemed sorry when the stroke of the clock announced the hour at which Whistler and his cousin were obliged to leave.
CHAPTER XVII.
A WATER EXCURSION.
THE next Saturday Whistler came home from school in great haste, at noon, and informed his mother that several of his young associates were going to get a sailboat and take a cruise in the harbor, immediately after dinner, and had invited him to go with them. Each boy was to pay a small sum for the use of the boat, the amount of which assessment would depend upon the number in the party. Whistler was quite anxious to go with them, and he knew Clinton would be, also, although he had not been able to find him since school was dismissed. The day was calm and pleasant, the boys who were going were of good character, several of them understood managing a boat, and they could not help having a good time. Such was Whistler’s story.
But his mother was not at all pleased with the project. She did not consider it safe for a party of such boys to venture upon the water, without a man capable of managing the boat. Whistler argued and pleaded, but could not change her mind. She finally told him that she should not give her consent to his going, and wished he would abandon the idea; but added that, if he was very anxious to go, he might ask his father’s permission, and if it was granted she should say nothing more about it.
As Mr. Davenport generally dined down town when business was pressing, Whistler started at once for his office. He found his father deeply engaged with several gentlemen, and some time elapsed before he could get even a look from him. After a while the busy lawyer stepped aside, and, telling his son to “speak quick,” listened to his request. He asked a question or two about the boys who were going, and, taking a handful of change from his pocket, gave Whistler enough to pay for himself and Clinton, and told him they might go with the party.