CHAPTER XIX
STICK FINDS A BUYER
The first team worked its way slowly out of the Slough of Despond thatweek. Progress was not uninterrupted, to be sure, but it seemed certainenough. On Tuesday the first took slight revenge on the scrubs, buton Wednesday it slipped back a little, allowing the second to give aspirited imitation of its former high-handed methods. Thursday againsaw the first team in the ascendancy and the scrubs got their firstthorough licking in more than three weeks. Perhaps it needed just thatto restore the first’s confidence, for thereafter, while the seasonlasted, it never again bowed to its friendly enemy. Russell saw hardwork and took hard blows, but lived very fully those days and enjoyedlife exceedingly. His comrade on his left, Wells, was wrought to newheights of eloquence daily, eloquence that, as his opponents gatheredspeed, failed more and more of effect. By the end of that week Wellshad fairly exhausted his powers of sarcasm and vituperation and hadsubsided into an amazed silence that was almost pathetic to observe. Heplayed on, but it was easily seen that his heart was not in it. Battlehad lost its savor for the right tackle.
Coach Cade chose to devote Friday to smoothing off the angles inpreparation for the Oak Grove Academy contest the next day, and hencethe second, its season almost over, was released from work that day.Oak Grove was not ordinarily a hard proposition; had, in fact, beengiven the date for that reason; but, with the Kenly game a week later,the time had come for a dress rehearsal. Indeed that time, but forthe slump, would have arrived a week before. Released from practice,Russell went to the Sign of the Football at three to relieve Stick. Hefound the latter busy and the counter fairly crowded with customersand friends. Russell had long since discovered that it took, on theaverage, two and a half boys to conduct a purchase; which is to saythat a customer was usually accompanied by from two to three--sometimesfour--companions whose duty it was to lend advice and counsel. Russellwent to Stick’s aid and half an hour later the last purchaser haddeparted and the store was, for the moment, empty of all save thepartners and the ever-present Mr. J. Warren Pulsifer. Stick, free toreturn to school, lingered, and Russell guessed that he had somethingon his mind. What it was developed after a few moments of desultoryconversation.
“Say,” began Stick, “I suppose you don’t want to buy me out, Rus.”
Russell shook his head slowly. “No, Stick. That is, I’d be glad to doit, if you wanted me to, but I haven’t got enough money. If I took ahundred and twenty-five out of the business I’d be in a hole right off.There’s another month’s rent coming due pretty soon, and three billsthat must be paid by the twentieth. Maybe after the first of the year,though, I could manage it. Still, I don’t see why you want to get out,Stick. Things are coming our way at last and we’re doing pretty well.”
Stick nodded gloomily. “I know,” he agreed, “but--but I’ve got anotheruse for the money.” He avoided Russell’s gaze, however, and thelatter surmised that the statement wasn’t exactly truthful. The trueexplanation was indicated by Stick’s next remark. “You think you’ve gotCrocker beaten, Rus, but he’s going to get you yet.”
“I don’t believe so, Stick, honestly. I’m sorry you can’t get out ifyou want to, but I don’t believe you’ll lose anything by staying in.”
Stick looked unimpressed during the short silence that followed. Atlast: “Well, I’ve made up my mind,” he said a trifle defiantly. “Ican’t afford to lose that money, Rus. Now, I tell you what I’ll do.I’ll give you until next Wednesday. Maybe you’ll change your mind.Maybe you can get the money somewhere?” Stick’s voice ended in a risinginflection.
Russell shook his head. “I can’t, Stick. But I don’t understand, Iguess. Suppose I don’t change my mind by Wednesday. What do you intendto do?”
Stick hesitated. Then, “Sell out,” he answered challengingly.
Russell stared. “Sell out! But I tell you I can’t-- Oh, I see! You meanto some one else.” Stick nodded. “I’m afraid you won’t find that veryeasy, Stick. Folks wouldn’t consider it a very enticing investment justnow.” Russell smiled a little at his friend’s surprising ignorance, andStick caught the smile and bristled.
“That’s all right,” he answered. “Don’t you worry. I’ve found some onewho’ll buy me out to-day if I’ll sell. I just thought I ought to giveyou first chance.” Something in Russell’s expression caused him to addhastily: “I’ve got a right to sell, haven’t I?”
“Yes, I suppose you have,” replied Russell quietly. “At least, I guessthe law would say so, but it seems to me that, in a partnership likethis, selling out to a third person isn’t just fair, Stick.”
“Why isn’t it? I’ve offered to sell to you--”
“You know I can’t buy!”
“That’s not my fault! This thing isn’t going to make money: it’s goingon the rocks just as soon as Crocker starts in to really fight you! Iwant to get out while there’s time, and I mean to. If you can’t buy myinterest I’ve got a perfect right to sell it to some one else, and I’mgoing to.”
“Who is it, Stick?” asked Russell.
“Fellow named Throgmorton.”
“One of our fellows?”
“Sure.” Stick nodded vigorously. “He came to see me yesterday, andagain to-day. He’s going to give me a hundred and fifty for my share inthe business. I’ll sell to you for a hundred and twenty-five, just whatI put in. That’s fair enough, isn’t it?”
Russell had to acknowledge that it was. “But why does Throgmorton wantto buy you out?” he asked perplexedly.
Stick shrugged. Evidently that didn’t interest him. “He says thething’s all right. I let him think so.”
“But how did he learn that you wanted to sell?”
“I guess he heard it somewhere,” answered the other evasively. “Maybehe didn’t know it. He didn’t say so. He just came to me and asked.”
Russell frowned. “Throgmorton,” he mused. “I don’t believe I know him.Did he say he knew me, Stick?”
“No, I don’t believe so. He’s all right, though. He’s a senior, Rus;a big, dark-looking fellow. You’ll know him when you see him. I guesshe would make a good partner. He talks like he knew a good deal aboutbusiness.”
“He understands, I suppose, that he isn’t buying an equal interest?”
“Oh, sure! He said you and he would get on all right. Said he had thismoney and wanted to make a little more, and thought this was a goodway.” Stick laughed. “I let him keep right on thinking so.”
Russell shook his head. “I don’t understand it,” he murmured. “Fellowsdon’t usually have a hundred and fifty dollars lying around loose likethat.”
“I don’t say he’s got it in his pocket,” replied Stick. “Maybe it’sin the bank. But I guess he can get hold of it all right. He talksstraight, anyway.”
“Well, I wish you wouldn’t do this,” said Russell pleadingly. “Honest,Stick, we’ll make this go if you’ll hold on. Why, we’ve got a lot ofbusiness in sight right now. We’ve got the hockey and basket ballteams, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we got the baseball team too. Andthen there’s that stuff for Mr. Kincaid. That’s almost certain. Andnext fall--”
But Stick was shaking his head stubbornly. “That’s all right, Rus. Youbelieve all that, maybe, but I don’t. I’ve made up my mind. I’d rathersell out to you, even if I didn’t make anything, but if you can’t buy,why, I’m going to sell to Throgmorton. You’ve got until next Wednesday,anyway. I promised him I’d give him his answer then.”
“You can give him his answer to-morrow just as well,” said Russellsadly. “Waiting until Wednesday doesn’t help me any.”
“Well, I’d rather,” replied Stick. “I’d feel better about it. You--youthink it over, Rus. Well, I’ll be getting back. I told Wallace I’d playhim some tennis at four. So long!”
Russell didn’t have much time to reflect on this new and sudden turn ofaffairs until closing time, for as Stick went his way two high schoolfellows entered in search of gymnasium togs, and after that the storewas never qu
ite empty of customers.
Between him and Stick the matter was not again mentioned that evening,but after supper Russell made his way across to Lykes and found Jimmyand Stanley in Number 4. It wasn’t until Stanley took himself outafter a while that Russell confided his perplexities, however. Jimmytook a philosophical view of the situation, although he did referdisparagingly to Stick as a “quitter.”
“I don’t know this Throgmorton chap,” he said, “but I’ve seen himabout and he looks all right. I think Stan has met him. I believe he’srather a shark for study and copped a scholarship last year. After all,he can’t trouble you much, can he? I mean, you’ve got the say aboutthings.”
“Y-yes, of course,” Russell agreed hesitatingly.
“Besides,” went on the other cheeringly, “it ought to be a grand reliefto get rid of that crêpe-hanger. Patterson has a conniption fit everytime you suggest buying another dollar’s worth of stock or paying aquarter to have the window cleaned. He can think up more reasons fornot spending a dime than any fellow I ever saw! If this Throgmortonchap is willing to invest a hundred and fifty in the business he’slikely to want to see it succeed. Besides, he’s a senior and will havemore time to put in at the store than Patterson has.”
“Stick’s a senior, too,” reminded Russell.
“I know, but he’s a regular crab when it comes to doing his share.Honest, Rus, I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned out to be a strokeof luck.”
“Well, maybe,” agreed Russell doubtfully. “I guess what worried me mostwas having some one I don’t know for a partner.”
“Why don’t you go and see him and have a talk?” asked Jimmy. “Itwouldn’t take long to find out what he’s like.”
“I don’t believe I will,” answered the other slowly. “If I didn’t likehim I couldn’t do anything about it. Stick’s set on going through withit. Gee, I wish I could buy him out myself!”
“Too bad you can’t,” said Jimmy sympathetically. “I suppose whenThrogmorton takes hold I’ll get fired.”
“Not unless you want to be,” said Russell, smiling.
“Well, I guess there’s not much chance of promotion and I’d better givenotice and look about for something else,” replied Jimmy, grinning.“I’ll help out awhile longer, though. I’ve really had rather a goodtime, Rus. I’m sort of sorry dad’s so--that is, I’d kind of like tokeep a store of some sort. It’s fun, Rus.”
“You might buy Mr. J. Warren Pulsifer out,” suggested Russell with asmile. “I guess he’d be glad to sell to you!”
“Fine idea! Only, you see, he can’t sell.”
“Can’t sell? Why not?”
“Well, it’s quite a story, Rus. He confided it to me one morning almostwith tears in his eyes. You see--”
“You mean to tell me that Mr. Pulsifer _talked_ to you?”
“Of course! Why not? Oh, I see what you mean. Yes, he is inclined to bea bit taciturn, but he will talk if you prod him. We didn’t mix muchat first, but I treated him kindly and now we’re quite thick. Funnyold guy, but human underneath. You see, Rus, he’s a man with a secretsorrow.”
“What’s his sorrow?”
“Here’s the yarn. It seems that he had an aunt who ran a sort of aflorist’s establishment in connection with her home. She was fond offlowers and started in selling them to the neighbors. Then other folkscame--there wasn’t any other florist around then--and so she built agreenhouse and, first thing she knew, had quite a trade. That was quitea while back, though, before the town was as big as it is. Of courseshe had competition finally and her business sort of petered out. Butshe didn’t give up. Instead, she died. And when she died she left theplace, quite a big piece of ground with a nice house on it, to J.Warren on condition that he continue the business.
“Well, J. Warren, according to what he didn’t say, was on his uppersabout then. He had married and the old sock was full of nothing muchbut holes. He had some sort of a job with the railway, he said. So hemoved to the auntcestral home--rather good, what?--and turned himselfinto a florist. But folks didn’t come that far any more, for there wereother florists in town here, and pretty soon the business was on itslast legs. J. Warren was willing enough to let it die, for, as he said,he hated messing around with flowers and didn’t know a--a sunflowerfrom a violet when he started. But he had a feeling that he wasn’tcarrying out the terms of the will, as the lawyer chaps say, withoutmaking another struggle. So he opened up this place, stopped raisingflowers and bought them instead. By that time he had sold off threeor four pieces of the land for house-lots and, I fancy, had plenty ofmoney. This place has never paid. He’s lost money every year. He’d likenothing better than quit, but he’s got an enlarged conscience, you see,and there’s the will and dear old Auntie’s dying command! What hereally wants to do is go home and shut himself up in a third-floor roomand work on an invention of his; something to do with train signals, asnear as I could make out.”
“Still, I don’t see why he can’t sell the business.”
“Conscience, dear boy. Auntie wanted him to continue the business.She didn’t say for how long, and there’s the joker. J. Warren dopesit out that just as long as there’s any business to continue it’sup to him to continue it. And he plays fair, too. He advertises andtries to keep the thing going. But he’s set himself a limit. When thelosses reach a certain figure--he didn’t tell me what--he will considerthat he’s done his duty and close up shop. I thought at first, when Isaw him figuring and figuring there at that little desk of his, thathe was worried about business and was trying to make out whether hecould make ends meet. But he wasn’t, Rus. He was figuring how muchlonger he’d have to keep things going. Haven’t you ever noticed how healways frowns and looks dejected if some one comes and wants to buyanything? Sure! Every purchase sets him back just so much. Every timethere’s a funeral he figures that the time when he can shut himselfup in that third-floor room is delayed another two or three days. Youought to hear him talk about the doctors in this town! He says they’rea lot of ‘nincompoops’--whatever that is--and that the mortalityhere is disgraceful. And he’s as keen as anything for the bill inthe legislature that makes Armistice Day a state holiday. J. Warrenbelieves in holidays, lots of ’em. The more holidays the less business,and the less business the sooner the florist establishment of J. WarrenPulsifer gets its death blow and J. Warren grabs a screw-driver and acold chisel and goes back to inventing!”
“Now,” said Russell, laughing, “I know why he was so funny aboutrenting that half of the store to us. One moment he’d be all scowls andthe next quite willing!”
“Of course! Auntie pulling one way and the third-floor room another!Well, you see why it isn’t possible for me to buy him out and become aflorist.”
“Well, I’m glad he isn’t bothered about money,” said Russell. “I wasafraid he was getting ready to jump in the river! He didn’t say howmuch longer he expected the business to last, did he?”
“N-no, but I rather gathered that, if all goes well--I should saybadly--he will be free of it in about one more year.”
“Good,” laughed Russell. “Of course, I’m sorry that his business isdoing so well, but I’d hate to have to look for new quarters this year.Maybe by next we’ll be ready to rent the whole building.”
“That’s so. You ought to. Say, Rus, I wouldn’t be surprised if youcould supply the football team next fall. I was telling Tod Tenneyabout you and the shop the other day. Tod will be manager next year,you know. He was mighty interested and said he didn’t see why theycouldn’t buy their stuff here as well as in New York. Of course, hedidn’t make any promises, and, I suppose, he would have to consultothers about it, but it looks promising.”
“That was mighty kind of you,” said Russell gratefully. “You’ve beenawfully decent to me, Jimmy, lots of ways, and I want you to know--”
“Can it,” said Jimmy.