The meeting between Tom Gordon and Jim Travers was one of the most joyouscharacter.
As soon as the fugitive recognized his old friend, he uttered a cry ofdelight, and rushing forward, threw his arms around his neck, and thelatter responded with a regular shout of happiness.
Then they laughed and asked and answered questions for some ten minutes,both in such a flutter of excitement, that their stock of knowledge wasscarcely increased in the least.
By the time they got down to their sober senses, Jim awoke to the factthat a couple of bad men were after him, and were likely to pursue himacross the threshold of the farmer's home.
There was no one present during the affecting interview between the ladsexcepting the kind host, and he was so touched by the joy of his gueststhat he more than once drew his hand across his face in a very expressivemanner.
When Jim explained his peril, telling how it was he escaped to this place,the farmer said,--
"You may bid farewell to all earthly fear while you're here with me. Theold woman is over to one of the neighbors', and there ain't no one homebut me; howsomever, I'm equal to any two."
Just then the gate was heard to shut, and the farmer stepped hurriedly tothe window and looked out.
"Yes, there's two men coming up the path."
"They're after me," said the frightened Jim; "let me run out through theback way; I can get away from them."
"You won't do any such thing," was the resolute reply of the old man,while he compressed his lips, and his eyes flashed resolutely.
"This is _my_ home, and the law says it is my castle; and if any manattempts to cross that threshold against my orders, on his head be theconsequences."
By way of making matters consistent, he stepped briskly into the nextroom; and when he returned, which was in the course of three seconds, heheld a loaded double-barreled gun in his grasp.
"It's well to have something like this to sorter emphasize what you say,you know--hello!"
The scoundrels were at the door, and a resounding knock was heard.
"Come in," called back the old man, who stood in the room, gun in hand.
Instead of opening the door, the criminals on the outside knocked again,their evident purpose being to gain an advantage by bringing some one tothem.
"Come in!"
This was uttered in a tone that could be heard a hundred yards, and thosewho were applying for admission could not pretend to be ignorant of such alusty welcome as that.
The latch was lifted, the door shoved inward, and there the two sailorsstood, each with a revolver in hand, looking into the room, but neitherventuring to step over the threshold.
We have stated where the farmer stood, and what his pose meant.
Tom Gordon was nearly recovered from his fractured leg, and he, too, hadrisen from his chair with his pistol in hand. He told Jim to get as nearhim--or rather behind him--as he could, and if there was to be anyshooting, why, he would take a hand.
The sailors could not fail to take in the fact that the three were ontheir mettle, and something more than a summons was necessary to bringthem to terms.
"Well, what do you want?" asked the farmer, in a voice like a growl, whilehe lowered upon them in the most ominous style.
"We want that boy," replied Bob, the sailor, pointing his pistol at thefellow, whose heart beat a little faster when he found himself confrontedby such danger.
"Do you want to go with them?" asked the farmer of the boy.
"No; they mean to kill me; they've tried it already, and you can see thatmy clothes are still wet from jumping into the river to swim away fromthem."
"He belongs to us. We don't wish to hurt him; but he must go with us. Ifhe refuses, we shall take him, and it will be bad for you."
"It will, eh?" muttered the farmer, a peculiar click, click, where hishand grasped the gun, showing that he was cocking the weapon, so as to beready for business. "It will, eh? Now I'll give you just two seconds and ahalf to take yourselves out of my sight, and if you don't, I'll empty bothbarrels of this gun into you."
"Let me know when you're going to shoot, Mr. Pitcairn," said Tom, alsococking his revolver, "because I want to join in."
The sailors, with some muttered imprecations, wheeled about and tookthemselves off, leaving the three masters of the field.
This danger removed, the boys sat down, and while the farmer went out toattend to some work about the premises, they talked coolly and sensiblyover the past and future.
Tom was almost entirely recovered from the hurt to his leg, and expectedto leave the house in the course of a few days.
He had written to and received a letter from his employers, notifying himthat his situation was gone and there was none to give him.
So his future was as uncertain as that of Jim, who had not received apenny since leaving home the winter before, and who had not the remotestidea as to what he should do.
Jim had a small sum of money with him, and his other clothes were stillpreserved by his friend.
As Tom was the owner of some extra garments, these were donned by thefellow who had received such a ducking; and, as the room was pleasantlywarm, he experienced no inconvenience from his bath.
Tom had also quite a sum in the savings-bank, and though he was reluctantto call upon it, yet there was enough to provide both against any want.
Tom said Farmer Pitcairn was a kind man, and thought he should be paidsomething for his entertainment of the wounded boy, as was manifestly hisdue; yet he would treat them as well without the slightest compensation.
When the farmer came in, and the case was laid before him, he said that hecould make use of Jim at once, and of Tom as soon as he should be able togo around, and they might remain on the farm as long as they chose.
The life of a young farmer was not very attractive to either of the lads,but they concluded to fall back on it until they could find some moreagreeable opening.
There was some fear that the two sailors would show themselves again andmake trouble, but nothing more of them was ever seen.
When Jim related the story of his abduction, Tom and Mr. Pitcairn boiledwith indignation, and insisted on a prosecution of the scoundrels,including Mr. Hornblower, who could easily be reached by the strong arm ofthe law.
On mature reflection, however, the scheme was abandoned.
Jim made himself as useful as he could; and being unusually bright andquick to learn, he disappointed the farmer with his readiness in pickingup the hundreds of mysterious little things which make up the farmer'slife.
He learned to milk the cows, to drive the plow, to ride the most fractioushorses, and to break the fiery young colts; he knew precisely how to lookafter the horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, fowls, and everything at night andin the morning.
As Tom regained the use of his limb, he joined him in this pursuit ofknowledge, which had a great many pleasant features about it.
They became expert in the use of the gun, and as one of the neighborsowned a rifle which he was willing to lend, they practiced until theygrew quite skillful in the use of that weapon.
The pistol afforded another branch of the science of projectiles, and, asthe revolver was an unusually good one, they also became remarkably expertin the use of that little "bulldog."
Jim visited the city a short time after his arrival at the farmer's, andbrought back all the property belonging to himself and Tom, as well as themoney deposited in the savings-bank.
This latter move was one of the best they ever made. Two days after, thebank in which the deposit was made went to pieces, the depositors,consisting mainly of the poorer classes of people, losing all, while theofficers retired with plethoric pockets to wait till the storm should blowover.
During these beautiful days the lads held long and earnest conferences asto what they should do, for they had reached an age wherein there waslittle time to spare.
They discussed the plan of learning some useful trade, and decided to doso; but, after several attempts to secure the o
pportunity, all resultingin failure, they gave it up, concluding that the fates had not intendedthem for such a life. They could not bring themselves down to the plan ofremaining farmers all their days.
Tom would have liked to become a lawyer, and Jim inclined to theprofession of medicine; but being without friends to secure the openings,they were compelled to give them the go-by, for the present at least.Another occupation seemed peculiarly attractive to them; that was onewhere each could make use of his skill in penmanship, something in the wayof clerical work. In the pursuit of this phantom they learned the rathermournful fact that every such situation in the United States has from tento a hundred applicants.
The boys became well satisfied that Farmer Pitcairn was allowing them toremain with him under the pretense of work, when the real truth was thatthey were more of a hindrance than a help. This knowledge made themuncomfortable, and caused them to resolve that it should not continue.
The spring wore along until the mild summer came, and still the boysremained with Farmer Pitcairn.
Chapter XVIII.