CHAPTER VI.--THE NEW FIRM.

If Budd, as he walked along toward Mr. Wright's, was filled with secret exultation at the happy turn in his affairs, it was, to say the least, pardonable. Bruised and sore though he was from his struggle with Mr.

Benton, he had nevertheless, through the opportune interference of Mr.

Wright, come off victor. With two months' pay in his pocket, and ten dollars more for the a.s.sault to which he had been subjected, he was not disposed to grumble; in fact he was quite ready to forgive the miserable man who had so ruthlessly attacked him. But there was one thing that piqued his curiosity and led him soon to say:

"There is something I would like to have you explain, Mr. Wright."

"What is it?" Mr. Wright asked, pleasantly.

"Why was Mr. Benton so docile in your presence? I should never have believed that he would have cowered down so to any man."

Mr. Wright laughed.

"There are several reasons for it," he said. "Tyrants are almost always cowards at heart, and Mr. Benton is no exception to the rule. Ten years ago, when I came here, I was continually in trouble with him. First it was my cattle; then my children; at last our boundary line. I caught him one day actually setting over my fence. I remonstrated with him, and he, in his anger, struck me with his ox-lash. s.n.a.t.c.hing it from his hand, I whipped him until he begged for mercy. Of course he brought suit against me, and I brought a counter-suit. I was fortunate enough to win both cases, and the costs and fines that he had to pay amounted to over one hundred dollars. I also had him put under heavy bonds to keep the peace, and from that time have had no serious trouble with him.

In fact he seems to both fear and respect me. Catching him to-night in the very act of a.s.saulting you gave me a decided advantage; and though I have doubtless gone beyond any real right I possessed in my dealing with him, he was not in a condition to dispute it. You and I will have no further trouble with him."

But in this last a.s.sertion Mr. Wright was wrong, at least so far as Budd was concerned.

On reaching the house, Mr. Wright opened the door and motioned Budd to enter, at the same time saying to his wife:

"Here, Sarah, can you find a place for this lad for awhile? I've taken him out of Benton's clutches," and he related to her, in substance, the happenings at his neighbor's farm.

"Oh, yes, I think so," the lady replied, giving Budd a hearty and motherly welcome, which at once caused him to feel at home.

Budd was shown to a chamber, where he deposited his bundle. Though no larger than the one he had occupied when at Mr. Benton's, and containing scarcely more furniture, there was nevertheless an air of comfort and neatness about it that awakened old and sweet memories in the boy's mind. A bright bit of carpet was on the floor, a white curtain was at the open window, while snowy sheets and pillow-cases upon the bed suggested sweet repose. Tears stood in the lad's eyes as he returned down-stairs and tried to again thank Mr. Wright for the deep interest he had shown in him, an entire stranger.

"Well, well," said Mr. Wright, not without some emotion; "I don't know as I deserve any special thanks for what I have done. I couldn't leave you over there and have any peace of conscience. I don't know, any more than you do, what the outcome of my act will be, so far as your future is concerned. I would gladly hire you, but have now all the help I need. You are welcome, however, to stay here until you can find a place. With what Benton has given you, you will be just as well off should you not get work under a month. I've no fear but what you'll do enough to pay your board, and we will both keep an eye out for something suitable for you to do."

Though Budd regretted greatly that Mr. Wright could not hire him, he gratefully accepted the arrangement proposed, and determined that his benefactor should have no cause to complain of either his want of grat.i.tude or willingness to be of help.

With this idea in mind he followed Mr. Wright out to the barn, and helped him and his man do the ch.o.r.es. He seemed almost intuitively to know what was the next thing to be done; and so pleased was Mr. Wright with his readiness and tact that he confided to his wife, that night, that he didn't know but they had better try and keep the lad. The very next day, however, there was destined to come to Budd an opening which was to change measurably his life, and prove an important link in the solution of the mystery which was apparently hanging over him.

He worked all the forenoon of the next day for Mr. Wright, but at that gentleman's request went with him in the afternoon up to the village.

"Perhaps we shall be able to find some place for you," Mr. Wright had said as they drove off.

Reaching the village, Mr. Wright left Budd to look out for the team while he attended to some matters of business. As the lad sat in the wagon holding the horses Judd Floyd came hurriedly down the street on his way toward the wharf. He had a market-basket on his arm filled with bundles, and had evidently been purchasing provisions to take over to his island home. He readily espied Budd, and recognizing Mr. Wright's team, suddenly stopped, remarking:

"h.e.l.lo! changed masters, have you? Shows your wisdom. But tell us about it."

Budd shook the speaker's extended hand warmly, and telling him to put his basket into the wagon, and to get up on the seat, he gave him a faithful account of himself from the time he had left Judd on "The Hummocks" until he had now met him again.

"So you are out of a job," he remarked, as Budd concluded. "Now, isn't that jolly! You can come over to the island with me, and we'll go into the fish and clam business together. I'll guarantee as good wages as you were getting, and you'll be your own boss at the same time."

"Is that so?" asked Budd, with some show of interest.

"Of course it's so," replied Judd, with remarkable emphasis on the first two words. "I've averaged fifty cents for every day I've been on the island; and so can you, if you'll come. We ought to do better, for with two we can enlarge our business many ways."

"How's that?" asked Budd.

Before Judd could answer, Mr. Wright came back to the wagon. That lad eyed him a little apprehensively at first, evidently fearing lest he might, as a member of the Town Board, call him to an account for his sudden disappearance from the shanty near the village a few days before.

But Mr. Wright's words at once re-a.s.sured him, for he said:

"How do you do, Judd? I'm glad to see you, and to hear so good an account of you as Budd has given me." Then lowering his voice, so as not to be heard by anyone pa.s.sing, he added: "You need have no fear of the Town Board, my lad, as long as you show a disposition to be industrious and take care of yourself. We wish you every success."

"He was just asking me to go over to the island and enter into partnership with him," explained Budd; "he says I can make as much as I was getting from Mr. Benton."

"And not have half as rough an experience," Judd chimed in, with a laugh.

"How do you expect to make it, Judd?" Mr. Wright asked, a little doubtingly.

"Selling fish and clams; taking out fishing-parties; doing odd jobs at the watering-places," answered Judd, pithily. "There's money in it."

"Do you think so?" asked Budd of Mr. Wright.

"There may be," he answered, musingly. "Judd knows better than I do.

Of course it is now a little late to hire out among the farmers. You have some money as capital. I'm not sure but you could, if prudent and industrious, do as well at this as at anything else for the summer months."

"Come along over to the island with me and stay to-night. If I don't convince you this thing is practicable, then I'll set you ash.o.r.e at 'The Hummocks' in the morning, and you can go back to Mr. Wright's until you find another job," said Judd, enthusiastically.

Mr. Wright laughed a little.

"Go on, Budd," he advised; "and if I can be of any help to either of you, call on me. All success to the new firm!"

Budd immediately leaped from the wagon, followed by Judd, and then the two boys went hastily down to the wharf where their boat was tied.

Embarking therein, each took an oar and pulled for the island, their minds brimful of the prospective partnership.

It was not, however, until the island was reached and supper eaten that the lads settled themselves for what they called their "business" talk.

The sun was just setting; the air was soft and balmy; scarcely a ripple was on the water. Taking seats upon the rocks south of the house, and where they could look for miles down the bay, they began the all-important conversation.

Budd was the first to speak.

"Here, Judd," he said, "let us begin at the very root of things. Who does this island belong to?"

"Why, I believe there are two or three parties claiming it," replied Judd. "But why do you ask? It has always been regarded as common property. Even the fellow that built the house here paid no rent for the island."

"That has nothing to do with our case," interposed Budd, promptly. "We must have a right to be here--a right we can defend against all comers.

Who are the proper parties to see about leasing the island."

"A Mr. Fowler, who lives near Mr. Wright, and two men named Scott, over in the western part of the town; but I don't believe they will object to our staying here, if Mr. Wright will see them about it."

"We will find out in the morning," Budd said, decisively, "and I'll mark that as the first item of business to attend to. Now as to our stock in trade. I have thirty dollars that can go in as my part of the capital.

What can you furnish?"

Judd looked a little crestfallen, at his companion's words.

"Why," he said, "I can't put in much. I have the boat----"