Robert Coverdale's Struggle; Or, on the Wave of Success
Page 11
CHAPTER XI
A FRIEND GOES TO THE RESCUE
Leaving Robert for a time, we will accompany George Randolph on hishomeward trip.
George did not at all enjoy the plain speaking he had heard from Robert.The more he thought of it the more his pride was outraged and the moredeeply he was incensed.
"The low-lived fellow!" he exclaimed as he was rowing home. "I neverheard of such impudence before. He actually seemed to think that I wouldtake as a passenger a common fisherman's boy. I haven't sunk as low asthat."
George was brought up to have a high opinion of himself and hisposition. He really thought that he was made of a different sort of claythan the poor boys with whom he was brought in contact, and his foolishparents encouraged him in this foolish belief.
Probably he would have been very much shocked if it had become knownthat his own grandfather was an honest mechanic, who was compelled tolive in a very humble way.
George chose to forget this or to keep it out of sight, as it might haveembarrassed him when he was making his high social pretensions.
Falsely trained as he had been, and with a strong tendency toselfishness, George had no difficulty in persuading himself that he haddone exactly right in rebuking the forwardness of his humbleacquaintance.
"He isn't fit to associate with a gentleman," he said to himself. "Whatbusiness is it of mine that he has to stay on the island all night? Ifhis uncle left him there, I dare say he deserved it."
George did not immediately land when he reached the beach, but floatedhere and there at will, enjoying the delightful sea breeze which set infrom seaward. At length, however, he became tired and landed. The boatdid not belong to him, but was hired of a fisherman living near by, whohad an extra boat.
The owner of the boat was on hand when George landed. He was, though afisherman, a man of good, sound common sense, who read a good deal inhis leisure moments and was therefore well informed. Like many other NewEngland men of low position, he was superior to his humble station andwas capable of acquitting himself creditably in a much higher sphere. Itis from persons of his class that our prominent men are oftenrecruited.
It may be mentioned here that, though George's father, as he liked toboast, was a rich man, the boy himself was very mean in money mattersand seldom willing to pay a fair price for anything. He was not abovedriving a close bargain, and to save five cents would dispute for halfan hour.
"So you've got back young man?" said Ben Bence, the fisherman. "Did youhave a pleasant trip?"
"Quite fair," answered George in a patronizing tone. "I rowed over toEgg Island and back."
"That's doing very well for a city boy," said the fisherman.
"I should think it was good for any boy or man either," said George,annoyed at this depreciation of his great achievement.
Bence laughed.
"Why," said he, "I'm out for four or five hours sometimes. I don't thinkanything of rowing from fifteen to twenty miles, while you have rowedonly six."
"I don't expect to row as far as a man," said George, rather takendown.
"The best rower round here among the boys is Bob Coverdaie," said thefisherman.
"What can he do?" asked George with a sneer.
"He can row ten miles without feeling it," said Bence.
"Does he say so?" asked George in a meaning tone.
"No, but I have seen him do it. He's been out with me more than once.He's a muscular boy, Bob is. Do you know him?"
"I have seen him," answered George distantly.
"He's a great chum of your cousin, Herbert Irving," said Bence, "and soI thought you might have met him."
This subject was not to George's taste, and he proceeded to change it.
"Well, my good man," he said patronizingly, "how much do I owe you?"
"So I am your good man?" repeated Ben Bence with an amused smile. "I ammuch obliged to you, I am sure. Well, you were gone about two hours, Ireckon."
"I don't think it was quite as much as that," said George.
"I guess twenty-five cents will about pay me."
"Twenty-five cents!" repeated George, all his meanness asserting itself."I think that is a very high price!"
"Did you expect to get the boat for nothing?" asked the fisherman,surprised.
"Of course not. I wouldn't be beholden to a fisherman," George saidhaughtily.
"Indeed! How much did you calculate to pay?"
"I think twenty cents is enough."
"Then the only difference between us is five cents?"
"Yes."
"Then you can pay me twenty cents. I can live without the extra fivecents."
George, pleased at gaining his point, put two ten-cent pieces in thehands of the owner of the boat, saying:
"I don't care about the five cents, of course, but I don't like to paytoo much."
"I understand, Master Randolph," said the fisherman with a quizzicalsmile. "In your position, of course, you need to be economical."
"What do you mean?" asked George with a flushed face.
"Oh, nothing!" answered Ben Bence, smiling.
The smile made George uncomfortable. Was it possible that this commonfisherman was laughing at him? But, of course, that did not matter, andhe had saved his five cents.
George got home in time for supper, but it was not till after supperthat he mentioned to Herbert:
"I saw that young fisherman this afternoon."
"What young fisherman?"
"The one you played croquet with this morning."
"Oh, Bob Coverdale! Where did you see him?" asked Herbert withinterest.
"On Egg Island."
"How came he there?" inquired Herbert, rather surprised.
"He went there in a boat with his uncle. I expect he's there now."
"Why should he stay over there so long?"
"It's a rich joke," said George, laughing. "It seems his uncle was madwith him and landed him there as a punishment. He's got to stay thereall night."
"I don't see anything so very amusing in that," said Herbert, who wasnow thoroughly interested.
"He wanted me to take him off," proceeded George. "He was trying tobuild a raft. I told him he'd better keep at it."
If George had watched the countenance of his cousin he would have seenthat Herbert was very angry, but he was so amused by the thought ofRobert's perplexity that he did not notice.
"Do you mean to say that you refused to take him off?" demanded Herbertin a quick, stern tone that arrested George's attention.
"Of course I did! What claim had he on me?"
"And you deliberately left him there, when it would have been no troubleto give him a passage back?"
"Really, Herbert, I don't like your way of speaking. It was my boat--or,at least, I was paying for the use of it--and I didn't choose to takehim as a passenger."
"George Randolph, do you want to know my opinion of you?" asked Herberthotly.
"What do you mean?" stammered George.
"I mean this, that I am ashamed of you. You are the most contemptiblymean fellow I ever met, and I am heartily sorry there is anyrelationship between us."
"I consider that an insult!" exclaimed George, pale with anger.
"I am glad you do. I mean it as such. Just tell my mother I won't beback till late in the evening."
"Where are you going?"
"I am going to get a boat and row to Egg Island for Bob Coverdale," andHerbert dashed up the street in the direction of the beach.
"He must be crazy!" muttered George, looking after his cousin.
Herbert Irving reached the beach and sought out Ben Bence.
"Mr. Bence," he said, "I want to go to Egg Island. If you can spare thetime, come with me and I'll pay you for your time."
"What are you going for, Master Herbert?"
Upon this Herbert explained the object of his trip.
"Now, will you go?" he asked.
"Yes," answered the fisherman heartily, "I'll go and won't charge you acent for the boat
or my time. Bob Coverdale's a favorite of mine, andI'm sorry his uncle treats him so badly."
Strong, sturdy strokes soon brought them to the island.
"Bob! Where are you. Bob?" called Herbert.
There was no answer. The island was so small that he would have beenseen if he had been there.
"He must have got off," said Herbert. "George said he was building araft."
"Then I mistrust something's happened to the poor boy," said Bencegravely. "He couldn't build a raft here that would hold together till hereached the mainland."
Herbert turned pale.
"I hope it isn't so bad as that," he said. "Let us row back as quick aswe can!"