GOOD AND BAD NEWS.
Oscar now gave up hunting entirely (he did not neglect to drop a line
to the commission merchants, telling them why he was obliged to do so,
and they, in reply, sent him a cordial invitation to visit them when
he came to Yarmouth), and devoted himself to the preparation of his
specimens.
He worked hard all day and studied late every night, and the nine
o'clock train which passed through Eaton on Wednesday morning, carried
him away with the rest of its passengers; his specimens, which were
carefully and neatly boxed, being stowed away in the express car.
In his hands Oscar carried the gun which he and Sam had fished up from
the bottom of the river, and by it he was recognized when he reached
Yarmouth depot.
There were two gentlemen there, waiting for him, and one of them was
the owner of the recovered fowling-piece.
The instant he saw it he knew that Oscar was the boy he and his
companion were looking for.
Oscar was gone just a week, and what he saw and did during his absence,
and what bargain he made with the committee, we shall learn as soon as
he meets his friend Sam, who, of course, must know all about it.
We will tell the reader this much, however, for it would not sound well
coming from Oscar's lips, even if he knew all about it, which he did
_not_.
The young taxidermist was almost overwhelmed by his reception. He was
introduced to the faculty, to the students, and to many prominent
citizens as the brave youth who had saved President Potter's life.
That eccentric gentleman had never thought it worth while to mention
the name of Sam Hynes in connection with his rescue, but the reader may
rest assured that Oscar did not neglect to do it.
Whenever the subject was spoken of in his hearing, the active and
important part taken by the cool-headed Sam was faithfully and
graphically described.
This one act on Oscar's part--the saving of the president's life--was
enough to make him a hero in the eyes of all the strangers who
surrounded him; but what added to the interest with which they regarded
him was the fact that he had been selected to complete the university's
collection of birds and animals.
The faculty and students, as well as some of the citizens, knew that
Professor Potter had at last found somebody to do the work, and when
it was announced that that _somebody_ would soon visit Yarmouth to
exhibit specimens of his skill, his arrival was awaited with no little
impatience.
The professor had not been at all particular about describing the
person he had engaged, and the students expected to find themselves
confronted by a bearded, fine-looking man in buckskin, or else in
high-top boots, red shirt, and slouch hat, standing at least six feet
high, with broad shoulders, and so powerful a grip that nobody would
dare shake hands with him.
These being their ideas, how great must have been their astonishment
when there appeared among them, one morning, a neatly dressed, modest
youth, who seemed to shrink away from them, and who blushed every time
anyone spoke to him!
They could scarcely believe their eyes; but the committee took him, and
Oscar's position was established at once.
On the second day after his arrival, he was invited to dine at the
house of a prominent citizen, and there he met a brilliant company,
including the gentleman who had given the money to found the museum.
The men treated him with a respect that astonished him, and the ladies
crowded around him and asked questions, until Oscar wished most
heartily that he could crawl into a hollow log somewhere and get out of
sight.
Through all this trying ordeal, the young taxidermist conducted himself
with the utmost propriety; but when the week was ended and he found
himself on board the train bound for Eaton, he drew a long breath of
relief, and said to himself:
"Thank goodness, it is all over!"
Sam Hynes was at the depot when Oscar reached the village on Wednesday
night, and eager as he was to hear what his friend had to tell him, he
was still more eager to communicate to him a piece of news that was
just then the talk of the town.
Oscar lingered for a few minutes on the platform to exchange greetings
with two or three friends who chanced to be there, but he drew away
from them as soon as he could, and started for home, accompanied by
Sam. He was very anxious to see his mother.
"Well," said Oscar, as they locked arms and walked briskly toward the
village, "I don't see that Eaton has changed any during my absence."
"Oh, you don't!" exclaimed Sam. "One would think you had been
somewhere, to hear you talk."
"I have been somewhere, and in less than a week I am going somewhere
else. Have you any news for me?"
"I have, and I know you will be sorry to hear it--not on account of the
young rascals themselves, but on Mr. Parker's account. Leon and his
cousin, Frank Fuller, have run away from home."
Oscar withdrew his arm, and stopped and looked at his friend, who
backed off and put his hands in his pockets.
The two gazed into each other's faces for a few seconds, and then
locked arms and walked on again.
"I hope there is some mistake about it," said Oscar, as soon as he
could speak.
"I wish there was, from the bottom of my heart!" replied Sam earnestly.
Oscar was silent for several minutes. He recalled all the favors
for which he was indebted to the kind-hearted lawyer, thought of
the numerous indulgences which he knew Mr. Parker had granted his
scapegrace son, and then broke out fiercely:
"Leon deserves to be thrashed within an inch of his life! He is a mean
boy who will run away from such a father as he has."
"Just what I have remarked a score of times," answered Sam. "But Mr.
Chamberlain says that the punishment he will receive before he gets
through with this business will be worse than thrashing. They packed up
and cleared out on the very night that you went to Yarmouth."
"Go on and tell me all about it," said Oscar.
"I don't know much to tell," answered Sam, "for, of course, Mr. Parker
and his family have had very little to say about the matter. The amount
of it is that Leon has been in trouble ever since his cousin came here.
Frank led him into all sorts of scrapes, and finally induced him to
run away from school--a thing Leon had never done before in his life.
On the same day Mr. Fuller arrived from Boston to see how Frank was
getting on with his studies, and the first thing he learned in regard
to him was that he had been playing truant. The general impression
seems to be that the young men were disciplined, and that they got
angry about it."
"Where have they gone, and what do they intend to do?"
"Nobody seems to know. They took a good supply of clothing with them
and also their guns."
"Ah! No doubt they intend to sell their guns in order to obtain money
to pay their way," observed Oscar.
"There's no need of that," answered Sam. "I don't know whether or not
Frank had any money, but Leon had a pocketful of it. His grandfather,
of late years, has made it a point to give Leon a hundred dollars every
Christmas. Unfortunately, the money was deposited in the bank to Leon's
credit, and all he had to do was to present his book and draw the
funds."
"My gracious!" exclaimed Oscar, "what a scamp that boy must be!"
"He wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for Frank. He is the one who has
led Leon into all this trouble. Now, let me ask you a few questions.
What luck have you had? Your last letter made me believe that you had
some good news for me."
"And so I have," replied Oscar. "I have had the best of luck, and, if
nothing unforeseen happens, I shall be on my way to the plains by a
week from to-night."
"You don't tell me so!" cried Sam, whose astonishment and delight were
almost unbounded. "How was it all brought about?"
"I can hardly tell you, for the truth is I have lived in such a state
of excitement and bewilderment ever since I have been away that I
hardly knew whether I stood on my head or my heels. In the first place,
I was completely upset by the attentions that were shown me when I
arrived in Yarmouth. The officers of the college and this museum
committee took me in charge at once. They wouldn't let me go to a
hotel, as I wanted to do, but President Potter--he is not a crazy man,
Sam--took me to his home and kept me there. The next day I was shown
over the university, and all the students looked at me as if I had been
some rare specimen of taxidermy. I went into their museum, and I tell
you what's a fact, Sam--my specimens beat theirs all to pieces."
"I am glad to hear it," said Sam.
"My specimens are there now," continued Oscar, "and anybody can see for
himself which is the best work. It would have made you laugh to see
those students crowd around me and ask me questions in natural history,
just as though I knew all about it. The committee wanted me to put up
some new specimens for them, so I went down to the store of Calkins
& Son, and picked out four nice ones--a hare, grouse, mallard, and
black squirrel. I told them who I was, and what I wanted the birds and
animals for, and they wouldn't take a cent for them. When I found that
I was expected to put up these specimens in the presence of a class as
well as the committee, and explain every operation, my hand trembled so
that I could hardly hold the knife, and I couldn't say a word."
"You were embarrassed," said Sam. "You had never received so much
attention before."
"And I hope I never will again," said Oscar honestly.
"Ah!" exclaimed Sam, with a knowing shake of his head, "wait until you
come back from the plains. If you are successful, they will make a lion
of you. What sort of work did you do before the class?"
"Oh, after I got fairly started, and gained a little confidence, I
was all right. My tongue ran glibly enough, and I never did quicker
or better work in my life. When I got through, I had four as fine
specimens as you ever saw."
"Good!" exclaimed Sam. "Well, what was the next thing?"
"The next thing was the best part of the whole business," answered
Oscar. "It was a private conference with the committee, during which
I was engaged for one year, with the understanding that if they were
satisfied with my work, I was to keep right on until I had furnished
the museum with specimens from _every country on the globe_. Just think
of that!"
"Whew!" whistled Sam.
"In the first place, as I told you, I am to go out West. My
instructions are to confine myself entirely to large game, although I
am at liberty to secure any rare bird or animal that may chance to come
in my way. But I mustn't waste my time in hunting for them. What they
want most is a specimen of the _Felis concolor_, and also----"
"Hallo!" exclaimed Sam.
"What's the matter with you?" asked Oscar.
"Nothing," replied his companion. "I forgot that you had been through
college. Big words come easy to you since your association with those
learned men, don't they? Well, good-night!"
The boys had by this time reached Oscar's gate. Bugle, hearing the
sound of his master's voice, came over the fence without touching it,
and was so demonstrative in his greeting that Oscar was obliged to
seize him by the neck and hold him off.
Oscar wanted Sam to go in, but the latter declined. He knew that his
friend would want to talk to his mother about his good fortune, and
he wisely concluded that the presence of a third party might not be
agreeable. He would see Oscar the next day, after school, he said, and
listen to the rest of the narrative.
So Sam went home, and Oscar went into the house. He told his mother the
same story he had told his companion, adding an item of information
that astonished her not a little.