CHAPTER XXXIII
THE LANDLORD'S DEFEAT
About ten o'clock the next morning Mr. Nahum Jones approached theTrafton cottage.
Sitting on a bench outside was Robert Coverdale, whittling. He had puton his old clothes, intending it to be for the last time. He wanted tosurprise Mr. Jones.
"There's Bob Coverdale," said Mr. Jones to himself. "He don't look muchas if he was able to pay the mortgage. I guess I've got the place fastenough."
"Is your aunt at home, young man?" he asked pompously.
"Yes," answered Robert, continuing to whittle.
"You might say 'yes, sir.'"
"All right. I'll remember next time."
"You'd better. Tell your aunt I want to see her--on business,"emphasizing the last two words.
"Come right in, sir."
Mr. Jones, with a patronizing air, entered the house of which he alreadyconsidered himself the proprietor.
Mrs. Trafton was engaged in making a pudding, for she had two boardersnow, Julian and his father, who were to take their meals in thefisherman's cottage till they got ready to leave Cook's Harbor.
"Good mornin', ma'am," said Mr. Jones.
"Good morning. Will you take a seat?" she said quietly.
"I can't stay long, Mrs. Trafton. I called on a little matter ofbusiness."
"Very well, sir."
"I suppose you understand what it is?"
"Perhaps I do, but you had better explain."
"I have made up my mind to foreclose the mortgage I hold on this place,and I should like to have you move out within three days, as I am goingto let it."
"Indeed! To whom do you intend to let it?"
"To Frank Shelton. He's goin' to be married, and this house will suithim."
"And what am I to do, Mr. Jones? You surely do not mean to depriveRobert and me of our home?"
"It isn't yours any longer, or won't be. Of course, you can't expect tostay here. I haven't forgotten how you talked to me when I was herebefore nor how impudent your boy was."
"Meaning me?" asked Robert with a grave face.
"Of course I mean you!" said Mr. Jones sharply.
"I haven't said anything impudent to you to-day, have I?"
"No, but you'd ought to have thought of that before. It's too latenow!"
"You won't turn us out on the street, will you, Mr. Jones?"
"Haven't I given you three days to stay? If you want my advice, I shouldsay that you'd find a good, comfortable home in the poorhouse. Your boythere might be bound out to a farmer."
"I don't know any farmer that wants a boy," said Robert meekly.
"I'd take you myself," said Nahum Jones, "if you wasn't so impudent. I'mafraid you're a little too airy for me."
"Wouldn't you let the house to me, Mr. Jones?" asked the widow. "It'sworth a good deal more than the face of the mortgage."
"You couldn't get a dollar more, in my opinion," said the landlord. "Asto takin' you for a tenant, I haven't any assurance that you could paythe rent."
"What rent do you want for it, Mr. Jones?"
"Five dollars a month."
"Five dollars a month, when you say it's only worth two hundreddollars!"
"I'm goin' to fix it up a little," said Mr. Jones, rather nonplussed.
"I think, Mr. Jones, we won't move," said Robert.
"Won't move?" ejaculated the landlord, getting red in the face. "You'vegot to move."
"Who says so?"
"I say so, you young whelp!"
"No hard names, if you please, Mr. Jones. The fact is, my aunt doesn'tfancy going to the poorhouse. To be sure, if she could have your societythere it might make a difference."
"You'll repent this impudence, Bob Coverdale!"
"How am I impudent?"
"To talk of my being in the poorhouse!"
"You spoke of Aunt Jane going to the poorhouse."
"That's a different matter."
"At any rate, she won't go!" said Robert decidedly.
"Won't? We'll see about that. How are you going to help it?"
"By paying the mortgage," answered Robert quietly.
"You can't do it," said Mr. Jones, his jaw drooping.
"You are mistaken, Mr. Jones. If you'll write a receipt, I am ready topay it now--principal and interest."
Robert drew out a roll of bills from the pocket of his ragged vest andbegan to count them.
"Where did you get this money?" ejaculated the landlord.
"I must decline telling you, Mr. Jones. It's good money, as you can see.I think you'll have to tell Frank Shelton he can't have the house unlesshe wants to hire of my aunt."
Nahum Jones hated to take the money that was offered him, but there wasno loophole to escape. The good bargain was slipping from his grasp. Thetriumphant look faded from his face, and he looked exceedingly ill atease.
"I'll come up with you for this, Bob Coverdale!" he muttered angrily.
"For what? Paying you money, Mr. Jones?"
"You know what I mean."
"Yes, I do know what you mean," returned the boy gravely. "This money isin payment for liquor furnished to my poor uncle--liquor which broke upthe happiness of his home and finally led to his death. You laid a plotto deprive my aunt, whom you had so much injured, of her home, but youhave been defeated. We don't care to have anything more to do withyou."
There is no need of recording the landlord's ill-natured answer. He wasangry and humiliated, and, when he got home, snapped up Mrs. Jones whenshe began to make inquiries about the new property. He felt the worsebecause he had been defeated by a boy.