JED MEETS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
Jed was not long in finding that Chester's aunt looked upon him, if not
with hostility, at least with distrust. This was an unpleasant
discovery. Mr. Holbrook had always appeared to have confidence in him,
and approved his management of his son.
While Chester and Jed were walking on the beach Miss Holbrook took a
seat upon the bluff and watched them through her spectacles, as Jed
could not help seeing.
"I say, Jed," asked the little boy, "how do you like Aunt Maria?"
"I don't feel very well acquainted with her yet," answered Jed
cautiously.
"_I_ don't like her!" said Chester emphatically.
"Why not?"
"Oh, she's always scolding and finding fault. Papa says it's because
she's an old maid."
Jed smiled.
"I wish papa had not sent for her," went on Chester. "We could get along
well enough without her."
"I think _we_ should get along very well together, Chester."
"I am sure we should. Have you got any old maid aunts?"
"Not that I know of," replied Jed soberly, as he had forced upon him the
thought of his solitary condition.
"Then you are lucky. I'll give you Aunt Maria if you want her."
"Perhaps she might not consent to be given away, Chester."
Half an hour later Jed met with a surprise, and one not altogether
agreeable.
"Hello! you here!" exclaimed an amazed voice that sounded familiar to
Jed.
He looked up and saw Percy Dixon approaching.
"Oh, it's you, Percy?" he said. "When did you arrive?"
"This morning. Father and I are staying at the Spray House." This was
the largest hotel, and Percy mentioned the name with evident pride.
"It is a nice hotel," responded Jed.
"I should say so. Why, it's the most expensive one here. But you haven't
told me how you came here."
"I have been here for some weeks."
"Where do you live?"
"I have a room in the village, but I take my meals at the Spray House."
"You take your meals at the Spray House?" ejaculated Percy.
"Yes."
"How can you afford it?"
"This boy's father pays my board. I look after Chester."
"What's your name?" asked Chester, who was by no means bashful.
"Percy Dixon," answered Percy politely, for he judged that Chester
belonged to a rich family.
"So you know Jed?"
"Yes. I have that honor," returned Percy with a curl of the lip. "When
did you leave off acting?" he asked, turning to Jed.
"At the end of the season. Few dramatic companies play during the
summer."
"Are you going to play with them again?"
"I don't know yet. The boy whose place I took may be ready to take his
own part in the fall."
"I saw your old friends Mr. and Mrs. Fogson just before I came away,"
said Percy significantly. "Wouldn't you like to know how they are?"
"No; I feel no particular interest in them."
"They are interested in you. Fogson says he's bound to get you back some
time."
"I don't care to talk of them," said Jed coldly.
"Are you going in bathing?" asked Chester.
"Yes, I think so. Do you go in?"
"Shall we go in, Jed?" asked the little boy.
"Yes, if you like, Chester."
The three boys repaired to the bathing-houses and prepared for their
bath.
As they walked up to the hotel together afterwards, Percy remarked: "It
seems strange to see you in such a place as this."
"I suppose so."
"It's funny how you get on. How did you get the chance to take care of
the little boy?"
Jed explained.
"Is Chester's father rich?"
"I presume so, from what I hear."
"Is he here now?"
"No; he is in Chicago for a week or ten days."
"And is there no one except you to take care of the boy?"
"There is an aunt of Chester's in the hotel--his father's sister. There
she is now!" and Jed pointed out Miss Maria Holbrook.
Percy noticed her attentively, and was observed in turn by the spinster,
who privately resolved to seek some information about Jed from one who
appeared to know him.
After dinner, while on the piazza, Miss Holbrook noticed Percy sitting
but a few feet distant.
"Ahem!" she began. "Young man, will you do me the favor to move your
chair a little nearer?"
Percy did so gladly. He wished for a chance to become acquainted with
Jed's employers.
"Thank you. May I ask your name?"
"Percy Dixon."
"I noticed that you seemed to be acquainted with the boy who is in
charge of my young nephew Chester."
"Yes, ma'am, I know him."
"Have you known him long?"
"As far back as I can remember."
"Did you live in the same town?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Where?"
"Scranton."
"You must pardon my curiosity, but my brother--Chester's father--engaged
this boy without apparently knowing much about him, except that he had
been on the stage."
"He wasn't on the stage long."
"Perhaps not, but probably he didn't get any good from it. What is your
opinion of him. Though, as you are his friend----"
"I am _not_ his friend!" said Percy bluntly.
"Then you haven't a high opinion of him?" said Miss Holbrook eagerly.
"No; I never liked him."
"I don't like him myself, though I can't tell exactly why not, and I am
bound to say that Chester and his father seem infatuated with him."
"I think you are quite right, Miss Holbrook."
"I can't help thinking there is some mystery about him."
"You are right, Miss Holbrook. There _is_ a mystery about him."
"I was sure of it," exclaimed the spinster. "What is the character of
his relations?"
"He has none that I know of."
"I believe he told me his parents were dead, and that he was brought up
by a Mr. and Mrs. Avery."
"Ho, ho!" laughed Percy.
"Why do you laugh?"
"At his being brought up by Mr. and Mrs. Avery."
"Isn't it true, then?"
"Yes; but he probably didn't tell you that Mr. and Mrs. Avery had
charge of the Scranton poorhouse."
"What!" ejaculated the spinster.
"It is as I say. Until a few weeks since Jed was an inmate of the
Scranton poorhouse."
"And this boy is actually in charge of my nephew!" exclaimed Miss
Holbrook, overwhelmed with horror.
"Yes; I was very much surprised to see Jed in such company."
"My poor brother must be quite unaware of this astounding fact!"
"No doubt, Miss Holbrook. Jed is cunning. He wouldn't be very apt to
tell your brother that he is a pauper."
"A pauper! What a horrid thought! And that boy has actually the
effrontery to push himself in among people of position. I can hardly
believe it."
"If you have any doubt about it, Miss Holbrook, just write a note to Mr.
Simeon Fogson, and ask him what he thinks of Jed Gilman."
"But I thought it was Mr. Avery who kept the poorhouse."
"He did; but when my father became Overseer of the Poor," said Percy
with conscious pride, "he removed the Averys and put in Mr. and Mrs.
Fogson, whom he considered more fit for the office. The Averys were weak
people and pampered the paupers."
"Mr. Simeon Fogson, Scranton," Miss Holbrook entered on her tablets.
"Really, Mr. Dixon, I am very much obliged to you for the important
information you have given me, and so ought my brother to be. He has
been very careless and indiscreet in engaging a boy of unknown
antecedents, but it is fortunate that Chester has an aunt who is keenly
alive to his interests."
As she rose to go to her room to write to Mr. Fogson, Percy smiled.
"Jed Gilman will find that his goose is cooked," he said to himself.
"Won't he be astonished when the thunderbolt falls?"