The Crofton Boys Part 20

No example could he find, to his satisfaction, this day. He gave it up till to-morrow, and then asked Holt what was on his mind. But Holt now drew back, and did not think he could tell. This made Hugh press; and Hugh's pressing looked like sympathy, and gave Holt courage: so that the thing came out at last. Holt was very miserable, for he was deep in debt, and the boys never let him alone about it; and he did not see how he should ever pay, as n.o.body was likely to give him any money.

"Remember, it is only sixpence that you owe me--not a s.h.i.+lling," said Hugh.

Holt sighed. Perhaps he had hoped that Hugh would excuse him altogether. He explained that this sixpence was not all, nor the chief part. He told that, when the whole school was on the heath, one Sat.u.r.day, they had seen a balloon rising at a distance, and some boys began betting about what direction it would move in when it ceased to rise perpendicularly. The betting spread till the boys told him he must bet, or he would be the only one left out, and would look like a shabby fellow.

"And you did?" exclaimed Hugh. "How silly!"

"You would have done it, if you had been there."

"No: I should not."

"Yes, you would. Or, if you had not, it would have been because of--I know what."

"Because of what, pray?"

"Because of something the boys say about you. They say you are very fond of money."

"I! Fond of money! I declare I never heard of such a thing."

"Well, you know you made a great fuss about that half-crown."

"As if it was about the money!" cried Hugh. "I should not have cared a bit if my uncle had asked me for it back again the next day. It was the being cheated. That was the thing. What a shame--"

"By-the-by, did your uncle ever ask what you did with that half-crown?"

"No; but he will next week, at the January fair. He will be sure to ask then. What a shame of the boys to say so, when I forgave--"

He remembered, just in time, that he had better not boast, or speak aloud, of having forgiven Lamb his debt in secret. He resolved that he would not say another word, but let the boys see that he did not care for money for its own sake. They were all wrong, but he would be above noticing it; and, besides, he really had been very anxious about his half-crown, and they had only mistaken the reason.

"How much did you bet on the balloon?" he inquired of Holt.

"A s.h.i.+lling; and I lost."

"Then you owe eighteen-pence."

"But that is not all. I borrowed a s.h.i.+lling of Meredith to pay school-fines--"

"What for?"

"Chiefly for leaving my books about. Meredith says I promised to pay him before the holidays; but I am sure I never did. He twitted me about it, so that I declare I would have fought him, if I could have paid him first."

"That's right," exclaimed Hugh. "Why, Holt, what a different fellow you are! You never used to talk of fighting."

"But this fellow Meredith plagued me so! If it had not been for that s.h.i.+lling, I would have knocked him down. Well, here is half-a-crown altogether; and how am I ever to get half-a-crown?"

"Cannot you ask your uncle?"

"No; you know I can't. You know he complains about having to pay the bills for me before my father can send the money from India."

"I suppose it would take too long to ask your father. Yes; of course it would. There would be another holidays before you could have an answer; and almost another still. I wonder what uncle Shaw would say. He is very kind always, but it might set him asking--"

"And what should I do, staying here, if he should be angry and refuse?

What should I do every day at dinner?"

"I know what I would do?" said Hugh, decidedly. "I would tell Mr Tooke all about it, and ask him for half-a-crown."

"Mr Tooke? Oh! I dare not."

"I dare,--in holiday-time. He is your master,--next to being your father, while your father is so far away. You had better ask Mr Tooke, to be sure."

"What go to Crofton, and speak to him? I really want not to be a coward,--but I never could go and tell him."

"Write him a letter, then. Yes: that is the way. Write a letter, and I will get one of my uncle's men to carry it, and wait for an answer: and then you will not be long in suspense, at any rate."

"I wish I dare!"

Holt was not long in pa.s.sing from wis.h.i.+ng to daring. He wrote a letter, which Hugh thought would do, though he rather wished Holt had not mentioned him as instigating the act. This was the letter:

"The Mill, _January 6th_.

"Dear Sir,

"I am very unhappy; and Proctor thinks I had better tell you what is upon my mind. I owe some money, and I do not see how I can ever pay it, unless you will help me. You know I have owed Proctor sixpence for ginger-beer, this long time; and as Lamb has never paid him his share, Proctor cannot excuse me this debt. Then I owe a boy a s.h.i.+lling, lent me for school-fines; and he never lets me alone about it. Then I was led into betting a s.h.i.+lling on a balloon, and I lost; and so I owe half-a-crown. If you would lend me that sum, sir, I shall be obliged to you for ever, and I shall never forget it.

"Yours respectfully,

"Thomas Holt."

Mr Shaw's man George carried the letter; but he brought back neither letter nor money: only a message that Mr Tooke would call; which put Holt into a great fright, and made Hugh rather uneasy.

There was no occasion for this, however. Mr Tooke came alone into the room where the boys were sitting; and neither Mr nor Mrs Shaw appeared during the whole time of his visit: a thing which was rather odd, but which the boys were very glad of. When Mr Tooke had told them a little of some new boys expected after the holidays, he said:

"Well, now, Holt, let us see what can be done about your affairs."

Holt looked uneasy; for it seemed as if Mr Tooke was not going to lend him the money,--or to give it, which was what he had hoped, while using the word "lend."

"I am glad you asked me," continued Mr Tooke; "for people, whether they be men or boys, can usually retrieve their affairs when they have resolution to face their difficulties. There is no occasion to say anything about how you got into debt. We must consider how you are to get out of it."

"That is very kind indeed!" exclaimed Holt.

"As to my lending you half-a-crown," continued Mr Tooke, "that would not be helping you out of debt; for if you had had any prospect of being able to pay half-a-crown, you would not have needed to apply to me at all."

Holt sighed. Mr Tooke went on.

"I cannot give you the money. I have less to give away than I should like to have, for the sake of the poor people round us. I cannot pay for a bet and school-fines while the children of our neighbours want clothes and fire."

"No, sir, certainly," said both the boys.