Budd Boyd's Triumph; or, The Boy-Firm of Fox Island

by John Kendrick Bangs

  CHAPTER XXI.--FATHER AND SON.

  The weeks that had elapsed between the confession of Bagsley and thereception of the important document from the Governor of Massachusettshad hung heavily on Budd's hands. He chafed under the legaltechnicalities that seemed to be constantly arising to delay a resultthat he knew was inevitable, and which he thought ought to comeimmediately. Still his hope sustained him, and with his partner heattended strictly to the work in which they were engaged.

  Business, too, accumulated upon their hands. The notoriety they hadachieved in capturing the burglars had made it quite the thing topatronize the young firm, and from every side there poured into them anincrease of trade. The summer hotels along the bay found it quite totheir interest to announce that the fish upon their tables came directlyfrom the pounds of Boyd & Floyd. Sailing and fishing-parties soughteagerly for the services of the lads and their sloop Sea Witch, that hadsuch a romantic history. So night and day the young firm were busy, andtheir bank account grew apace.

  But there was another work during these weeks that claimed Budd'sattention. Believing that his father would prefer to come back to theisland with him, and make a temporary home there until their plans forthe future could be arranged, he spent all his spare moments in makinghis island home more attractive.

  Mr. Johnson had on the day he had accompanied the lad up to the countyjail returned to him the five hundred dollars he had paid that gentlemanthe previous March, and, along with that sum, its accumulated interest.A portion of this money Budd now spent for carpets and furniture.

  The bedroom down-stairs, and which he and Judd had always occupied, wasrefurnished expressly for Mr. Boyd. The furniture which had been inthere was carried upstairs, where a room was fixed for the lads.Another room upstairs was also furnished with a bedroom set, and it wasBudd himself who gave a reason for doing it:

  "It is for your father, Judd, when he comes from the State Farm. We'llbring him over here, where he'll be away from temptation, and try andmake a man of him;" and Judd thanked his chum for the suggestion withglistening eyes.

  Other arrangements were also made about the house and grounds, in whichBudd was ably seconded by his partner, and on the October morning thatthe Governor's pardon came everything was in readiness for Mr. Boyd'scoming.

  That afternoon's train carried Budd to Boston. He arrived in the citytoo late to visit the prison that day, but having expected this, he wasin no sense disappointed. In fact he had come to the city at this timepurposely, for he had a few items of business to transact before hevisited his father, and they could be attended to while he waited forthe coming morning, which at the earliest possible hour he haddetermined should see his father's liberation. These items of businessare of interest to us, and so we will follow him as he attends to them.

  Hastening through to Washington Street with the pace of one who knewjust where he was going, he hurried down that street until he reached alarge tailoring establishment. Entering this, he asked for theproprietor, and was immediately shown to the private office.Introducing himself with the air of one who was expected, he asked:

  "You have, of course, received and filled my order?"

  "Yes sir," said the gentleman, pleasantly, and pointing to a handsomevalise and a large package at one side of the office. "In that valiseyou will find shirts, collars, underwear, stockings, neckties, and amedium suit of clothing. In the package is a handsome overcoat, a finePrince Albert suit, hat, shoes--in fact a complete outfit, and goodenough for any man. They will be sent to your hotel at the appointedhour to-morrow, and we guarantee the fit, if your measures werecorrect."

  Budd thanked him, and then asked:

  "Was the check I forwarded with the order sufficiently large in amountto pay for everything?"

  "Yes, and a little to spare. Here is the receipted bill and change thatthe cashier sent here in anticipation of your coming. I had the bundlesbrought here also, in case you should care to examine them."

  "No, sir; I rely upon your judgment," replied the lad. "You may sendthe packages to me to-night, however, at the United States Hotel;" andhe took his leave.

  He now walked down to the hotel he had named, and registering his name,was shown to a room.

  Before the supper-hour the packages had arrived from the tailoringestablishment, and were at his request sent up to his room. He nowexamined their contents, and his face glowed with satisfaction as he sawhow well his orders had been executed.

  "Father need not be ashamed to call on the Governor himself with thoseclothes on," he said softly to himself, not knowing they would be put tothat use.

  When his supper was eaten he left the hotel and walked briskly offtoward the business quarter of the city again, and reaching the officeof a well-known daily paper, he entered and asked for the managingeditor. On the assurance that his business was important he was shownup to that worthy's sanctum.

  With no hesitation he told who he was, and the object of his visit toBoston.

  "My wish," he continued, "is to have your paper to-morrow kindly noticemy father's return to public life; and if you believe in his innocence,do your part toward the vindication of his good name. I ask that youwill give as conspicuous a place in your paper to his release as you didto his trial and conviction, and am willing to pay you for the space."

  The editor laughed a little.

  "You show your appreciation of the value of the press as a molder ofpublic sentiment," he then said. "But, my dear boy, Mr. Johnson haspreceded you in this request. The first page of every daily in thiscity, to-morrow, will notice your father's release, and every editorialpage will comment upon and welcome his return to public life.

  "Why shouldn't we?" he added, bluntly. "Mr. Johnson has paid handsomelyfor it. He certainly is leaving no stone unturned to restore yourfather to his old standing in the community. From the hour of Bagsley'sconfession, for he telegraphed the fact here at once, he has seen to itthat every step toward your father's release has been duly noticed bythe public press."

  Then the man, with a few inquiries as to Mr. Boyd's plans after hisrelease, dismissed his young visitor.

  "I have no more offices to visit, then," Budd remarked on reaching thestreet, "thanks to Mr. Johnson. I'll buy a copy of every paperto-morrow, however, so father can see just what they do say."

  He now turned his steps toward the quarter of the city where he hadformerly lived, and walked slowly over the familiar ground. Then hewent around by the school he had last attended, and gazed up at thewindows of the room where he used to sit. His thoughts now turnedtoward his former acquaintances and friends, and he felt a littlepardonable exultation as he remembered how, at every breakfast-table ofthe city, on the following morning, his father's innocence would bediscussed.

  "I am not sure," he admitted to himself, as he walked back toward hishotel, "but that I should be glad to come back here and take up the oldlife--if," he added, after a brief pause, "Judd could only come withme."

  And though he did not know it then, that very thing was to eventuallyhappen.

  Not far from half-past eight o'clock the next morning Budd put hispackages into a hack, and entering it, gave the order to the driver:

  "Go over to the State Prison in Charlestown."

  With a peculiar look at his young passenger the driver mounted his boxand drove away. A half-hour or so later he stopped at the massiveentrance of the institution named, and Budd alighted. Requesting thehackman to remain until his return, he took up his bundles and went intothe warden's office.

  Upon showing the official document of the Governor to the clerk inwaiting he politely requested Budd to take a seat while he went to callhis superior officer. The warden soon entered, and telling Budd he hadexpected him, he led the way into the prison building. Down onecorridor and into another they went, the heart of the lad beating loudlyas he drew nearer to the father he had not seen for months. Suddenlythe warden stopped before a cell and unlocked the door.

  "You may enter and break
the news to your father," he said to Budd in alow voice. "A little later I will send a man for you, and you and yourfather can come down to the office, where there is a dressing-room whichhe can use to get ready for his departure."

  With these words he motioned the lad to enter the cell; then he gentlyclosed the door, without locking it, and hurried away, leaving fatherand son alone. Surely nothing ever became him better.

  As Budd entered the cell, his father arose from the stool on which hewas sitting, and with a glad cry came toward him. The next instant theywere in each other's arms, and sobbing on each other's shoulders. Butthe tears they shed were tears of joy, for Mr. Boyd had rightlyconjectured that his son's presence meant his immediate release, andthough not entirely unexpected, yet it still came with sufficientsuddenness to move him to tears.

  Soon they both grew calmer, and then Budd produced the Governor'spardon, and related to his father the story of its coming, and theGovernor's suggestion that had accompanied it. He then produced ahalf-dozen morning papers, and pointed out to his father the flamingannouncements of his release, and the editorial notes of welcome thatsignaled his return to public life.

  "You need not be ashamed to go anywhere in the city, father," the ladexclaimed, triumphantly; "and I have brought you clothing fit for aking. A home is ready for you, too, where you can rest awhile and planfor the future. There is the man's step outside, now, who has been sentup for us; so come."

  Leaning proudly on the arm of his boy, who had accomplished so much, Mr.Boyd walked down to the office, where the warden kindly greeted him, andthe few details essential to his release were attended to. Then he wasshown into an adjacent dressing-room where the packages Budd had broughthad already been carried, and from this he emerged a half-hour laterlooking, as the happy boy declared, "Just like his own father."

  Budd now took up the valise that contained Mr. Boyd's spare clothing,and telling his father the carriage was in waiting, started for thedoor.

  "One moment, Mr. Boyd," the warden said. "Here is a note the Governorhas sent here for you."

  In surprise, Mr. Boyd took the note and hastily opened it. There wasbut a brief line.

  EXECUTIVE MANSION, October 5th.

  _Mr. Henry Boyd and Son:_--You are both requested to dine with me at twoo'clock this afternoon, where you will meet some old and some newfriends.

  THE GOVERNOR.

  It was with emotions no words can express that both father and sonentered their carriage and were driven off to their hotel. Never hadthe sun shone so brightly; never had the autumn foliage looked half sobeautiful; never had the old, familiar streets and buildings seemed sodear. In their very happiness they were silent until nearly to theirdestination; then Mr. Boyd broke the silence by saying, tremulously:

  "Oh, Budd! if your mother only knew of my vindication! If she had onlylived to see this day!"

  "She does know of it," replied Budd, simply.

  "I believe it; and, like myself, she is proud of her boy;" and Mr. Boydlooked lovingly down into the face of his son.

  The dinner at the Executive mansion was a simple affair, the Governorseeming to understand Mr. Boyd's feelings in this respect. There werethere the members of the Executive Council; the Judge who had presidedat Mr. Boyd's trial; Mr. Johnson; Mr. Boyd's lawyer, and a half-dozenprominent business men that Mr. Boyd had been accustomed to meet inother days. They all congratulated him warmly upon his establishedinnocence, and assured him of their friendship and help when he haddecided upon his future business plans.

  He thanked them all for their expressions of kindness, but added, withevident pride:

  "My son has a home for me, and there I will go for the present."

  At four o'clock he and Budd left the city; at five they were inProvidence, and at six they were at their village depot, where they weremet by Judd. Ten minutes later they were on the Sea Witch, bound forthe island.

  As they reached their own wharf Mr. Boyd stepped out of the boat andlooked around him. Then he said tenderly, almost reverently:

  "This is your home, Budd, and my home, now--inexpressibly dear, becauseof what my boy has here proved himself to be."

  Later on, and when reclining in an easy-chair beside the sitting-roomfire, he heard in detail the experiences through which the lads hadpassed. The young partners sat where he could look them both full in theface. Possibly their strong likeness to each other may have suggestedthe question, for he abruptly asked:

  "Judd, what is your father's name?"

  "Silas Torr Floyd," answered the wondering boy.

  "And your mother's?"

  "Helen Budd, before she was married," replied Judd. "That is one reasonwhy I thought Budd's name so funny when I first heard it."

  "You are, then, cousins," was Mr. Boyd's astonishing declaration.

  "How do you make that out, sir?" the lads exclaimed in one breath.

  "My wife and your mother, Judd, were sisters," explained Mr. Boyd."They were married about the same time, and used to joke each otherabout one having married a Boyd and the other a Floyd. When Budd wasborn his mother gave him her surname for his Christian name; and when, afew weeks later, Judd was born, his mother laughingly gave him theChristian name he bears, saying she would make it as near like Budd's aspossible.

  "We soon separated, I moving into Boston, and Judd's father going West.For a time we kept up a correspondence, but it grew less and lessfrequent, and finally entirely ceased. But your parents must havereturned East, Judd, and I cannot understand why they did notcommunicate with me, unless your mother's pride was such that she didnot wish us to know her husband had become a drunkard."

  "I think that is it," said Judd, thoughtfully; "for whenever I askedabout her relatives, she never would tell me anything about them."

  The newly-discovered relationship was discussed for a time, and factsand dates were brought forward to substantiate it. Then Judd said, withmuch the same grimace he had used months before:

  "I told you some time ago, Budd, that we were second-rate twins, and nowit has turned out that we are first-rate cousins!"