IN SEARCH OF A JOB
The job with the miller lasted just five days.
Then Toby, having declared himself ready to take up his duties, Mr.
Cartwright was compelled to let Dick go, for he really had no need of
his help, since things were running in their natural channel, all the
back work having been cleaned up under the energetic push of young
Morrison.
"I'm really sorry to lose you, Dick, boy. You've done all right, and if
I ever have need of a helper again I'd like nothing better than to call
on you. If I hear of an opening I'll sure let you know," the miller
said, that evening as he placed the last pay in the boy's hand.
Mrs. Cartwright had taken considerable interest in all she had heard
about Dick from her husband, and being a woman of discernment she knew
that a boy who was so fond of his mother as he seemed to be could not go
very far wrong in life.
She came out to shake hands with him, and she carried a package too that
she gave into his charge.
"It's a new kind of cake I've been trying lately. My sister away out in
Boston sent me the recipe. Tell her I want her to try it, and if she
wants the directions I'll be glad to send 'em to her. Good-bye, Dick. I
hope you find a good steady job soon. Come in and see us whenever you
happen to be passing, and if it's nigh dinner time we'll be glad to have
you jine us."
Dick felt that he had indeed made good friends in this, his first
position, and the thought brought with it such solid satisfaction that
he determined to profit by the circumstance in the future; he was young
in years but already he had begun to see that one cannot have too many
friends and well wishers in life.
Once again he was grappling with the problem as to what he should do in
order to continue this method of assisting to lighten the many burdens
that had fallen on the shoulders of his mother.
Just as he neared the town he heard a great spluttering behind him and
stepped aside to allow the party on the motor-cycle to pass; as he
suspected it was Ferd Graylock returning from a little whirl around the
country, and cutting his customary wide swathe along the road.
He happened to recognize Dick as he swept by with a popping from the
exhaust, and shutting off power applied the brake so that he came to a
stop.
Dick was surprised and a little annoyed.
He hoped that Ferd did not mean to be as disagreeable as usual, and
perhaps force him into a war of words, or even worse; and remembering
what he had promised the anxious little inmate of the rose cottage, he
shut his teeth hard with the firm determination not to be drawn into a
row if it could possibly be avoided.
As he walked on he presently came up to where the other stood, with one
foot on the ground, balancing his machine and ready to go on again
slowly, pedalling as Dick tramped.
"Hello! Dick. Thought that was you. You jumped just in time or I might
have hit you a nasty blow. Fact is I was forgetting that the beastly old
town was so close by. Hear you've been working down at old Cartwright's
mill. Got a steady job?"
Dick was surprised at being spoken to in this fashion by the one whom he
had grown to look upon as his inveterate enemy, and who in the past had
never addressed him save to utter some sneering insult; could it be that
after all there was a spark of decency in Ferd, and that when he came to
reflect on how shabbily he had treated the boy who had shown such
willingness to help him drag his motor-cycle out of the ditch, he was a
little ashamed of his actions?
Dick was quick to seize the olive branch, though rather skeptical with
regard to what it could really mean.
"I have been working there five days, and would like to keep right
along only Toby has got well enough to go on his job again. Now I must
look around and see if I can find something else to do, for I've got to
bring in some money to help out at home, you know," he replied.
He could see the sneer upon Ferd's lip, for that young man had never
earned one cent in all his life, and foolishly looked down upon the
unfortunate boy whom fortune compelled to face the world and wrest his
living from it.
"I was thinking of you when I heard my governor say he wanted more help.
Perhaps you might strike a job there. I'll even put in a good word for
you to-night. Of course you understand that I'm not doing this because I
like you any better than before, but you did me a half decent turn
yesterday, and I'm not the one to forget it. Besides I don't want to see
a dog starve if I can help him by raising my hand. Come around and see
the old man to-morrow, and perhaps he'll offer you something."
The cool patronizing manner of the fellow when he said this galled Dick
exceedingly, and had it been only himself whom he had to consider he
would have snapped his fingers in Ferd's face.
But then he reflected that the other was doing him what he considered a
very great favor, and that of late he had had that old saying to the
effect that "beggars should not be choosers" rubbed into his soul.
So he crushed down the natural feeling of resentment that arose in his
heart, and tried to act as though he were really grateful for the crumb
thrown down to him with such scorn.
"That's good of you to think of me at all, Ferd. I'll see your father
to-morrow without fail. I hope he can offer me a job that will give me
something like the sum Mr. Cartwright has been paying me," he replied,
quietly.
"How much was that?" asked the other, contemptuously.
"At the rate of seven dollars and a half a full week," answered Dick.
Ferd whistled to signify his skepticism.
"You're yarning, Dick. I don't believe he gave you half that. Anyhow,
I'm dead sure dad'll never think of paying such big wages. He can get
all the help he needs at three dollars a week," remarked Ferd, preparing
to start up his machine and go ahead, since his object had been
accomplished, and he had the peculiar satisfaction of knowing that he
had after a fashion put that upstart Dick Morrison down a peg or two
even while making himself out to be a generous, forgiving fellow.
Dick saw him speed away with a renewed splutter and a cloud of dust,
while to himself he was saying:
"Three dollars a week will never satisfy me just now. I am strong enough
to be earning a dollar a day on a farm, and we have too big a need of
the money to take a position at less. I can make more than that fishing,
counting the good days and the bad as they run. And I'm afraid there
might be trouble for me if once Archibald Graylock had me under his
thumb. He would find some opportunity to accuse me of something I hadn't
done and discharge me in disgrace. I'll go and see him all right, but if
we fail to come to terms I won't be much disappointed. I'll keep
everlastingly at it until I strike my gait, just as Grant did when he
was fighting the battles of the Wilderness. And I'm going to get there,
I must, _I will_!"
Again he stopped in town to make some purchases.
The store of Ezra Squires was well patronized, for he kept a pretty fair
assortment of necessities in the line of groceries, sometimes exchanging
tea and coffee with the country people for butter and eggs, which he
shipped into Boston when he had a quantity.
Ezra and Dick had never gotten on very well together somehow.
To tell the truth, the grocer had once played a very small game with the
widow, and when Dick learned of it he had come and told Mr. Squires just
what he thought of such contemptible actions; at the time several
persons heard all that was said, and Ezra felt that he was in rather bad
odor in certain circles.
That was a good while back, and people had forgotten the circumstances;
but he had never quite forgiven the lad who in defense of his mother had
so boldly taken him to task before some of his customers.
Ezra had a small nature, and it harbored the spirit of a mean revenge;
so that he was forever looking for a chance to get even with the boy.
"You don't happen to want any help, Mr. Squires," asked Dick, as he was
about to leave the store, and the old man came to the door to open it,
seeing how the boy was laden down with bundles.
"Not just now. I might be changing any time, though, that Abner is sore
tryin' on a man's patience. He never does anything right, it seems,"
replied the other, looking at Dick keenly.
"What wages do you pay, in case you needed anyone, and I applied for the
job?"
"Four dollars and find yourself, and no snacking in the store out of the
cracker barrel and cheese bin," came the quick response.
"It strikes me that's pretty small pay for the long hours here, and the
heavy work you require," remarked Dick.
"Kin get lots of help at that price. This ain't Boston, you understand,
and wages is low in Riverview. I'm not askin' anybody to come here. If
Abner goes there'll be jest a dozen arter his job in an hour," replied
the grocer, sarcastically.
"Perhaps there will, but you won't find me among them, Mr. Squires. I'm
willing to work and work hard, but I think a fellow deserves a living
wage. You can't get a woman to come and wash for you at less than a
dollar a day, and they talk of putting the price up a quarter. What are
the hours here?"
"I guess it don't interest you any, young feller. Seems like you be too
high-toned fur this sorter work. Might try the bank and see what Mr.
Harvey Gibbs kin offer you," and so saying Ezra slammed the door shut
behind Dick, thus bringing to a termination the interview that was not
proving very pleasant to him personally.
"Perhaps I am too high in my notions; perhaps my first job has spoiled
me for a three dollar a week position, but it does seem as though all
the chances open to me are going to come from the few men I'd hate to be
with above all others. Well, I'll make a try of it to-morrow, and if
there's nothing in sight I know where I can dig some good bait, and the
weather promises to be fine for fishing."
So talking to himself Dick set out for home, fairly well satisfied with
his beginning as a business man; it was an humble opening to be sure,
assisting a miller run his grist, but the work was interesting and the
pay had not only been good but he had made friends that might prove of
benefit to him at some future day.