BAD TIDINGS.
Leaving Philip for a short time in the hands of his captor, we will
follow Zeke on his errand. He didn’t have to go as far as Mr. Dunbar’s
house, for he met Frank Dunbar about a quarter of a mile this side of
it.
Now, between Frank Dunbar and Zeke Tucker there was no love lost. There
had been a difficulty between them, originating at school, which need
not be particularly referred to. Enough that it led to Zeke’s cordially
disliking Frank, while the latter, who was a frank, straightforward
boy, could not see anything in Mr. Tucker’s promising son to enlist
either his respect or his liking.
There was a small river running through Norton, which crossed the main
thoroughfare, and had to be bridged over. Frank Dunbar, fishing-line in
hand, was leaning over the parapet, engaged in luring the fish from
their river home. He looked up, when he saw Zeke approaching him. Not
having any particular desire to hold a conversation with him, he
withdrew his eyes, and again watched his line. Zeke, however,
approached him with a grin of anticipated enjoyment, and hailed him in
the usual style:
“Hello, Frank!”
“Oh, it’s you, is it?” said Frank Dunbar indifferently.
“Yes it’s me. I suppose you thought it was somebody else,” chuckled
Zeke, though Frank could see no cause for merriment.
“Well, I see who it is now,” he responded.
“Where is Phil Gray?” inquired Zeke, chuckling again.
“Do you want to see him?” asked Frank, rather surprised.
“Oh, no! I shall see him soon enough.”
And again Zeke chuckled.
Frank looked up.
He was expecting Philip to join him, and was, in fact, waiting for him
now. Zeke’s mysterious merriment suggested that he might have met
Philip—possibly bore some message from him.
“Do you know anything about Phil?” asked Frank, looking fixedly at his
visitor.
“I reckon I do. I know all about him,” said Zeke, with evident
enjoyment.
“Well. If you have any message from him, let me hear it.”
“You can’t guess where he is,” blurted out Zeke.
“He isn’t in any trouble, is he?” asked Frank quickly.
“No; he’s safe enough. But you needn’t expect to see him tonight.”
“Why not?” demanded Frank, not yet guessing what was likely to detain
his friend.
“Because he’s at our house,” chuckled Zeke. “Dad and Squire Pope have
carried him to the poorhouse, and he’s goin’ to stay there for good.”
This was a surprise. In his astonishment, Frank nearly let go his rod.
He was eager now to question Zeke further.
“You don’t mean to say Phil has been carried to the poorhouse against
his will?” he exclaimed.
“I reckon he was anxious to go,” said Zeke.
“Where was he when your father and Squire Pope committed this outrage?”
said Frank indignantly.
“I thought you’d be mad,” said Zeke, with the same unpleasant chuckle.
“Answer my question, or I’ll pitch you into the river,” said Frank
sternly.
He did not mean what he said, but Zeke drew back in alarm.
“Quit now! I didn’t have nothin’ to do with it,” said Zeke hastily. “Me
and him was over in Haywood’s pasture when dad come along with the
squire in his wagon. Well, they made Phil get in, and that’s all of it,
except I promised I’d come and tell your folks, so you needn’t get
scared or nothin’ when he didn’t come back to-night.”
“He will come back to-night,” said Frank. “He won’t stay in the
poorhouse.”
“Yes, he will. He can’t help himself. Dad’s goin’ to lock him up in the
attic. I guess he won’t jump out of the window. Where you goin’! You
ain’t got through fishin’, be you?”
“Yes, I’m through,” answered Frank, as he drew his line out of the
water. “Just tell Phil when you go home that he’s got friends outside
who won’t see him suffer.”
“Say, ain’t you goin’ to give me nothin’ for comin’ to tell you!” asked
Zeke, who was always intent on the main chance.
Frank flung a nickel in his direction, which Zeke picked up with
avidity.
“I guess it pays to run errands when you can get paid twice,” he
reflected complacently.