CHAPTER VIII.
NEW PLANS.
At the close of the afternoon, as had been proposed, Mr. Murdock,accompanied by Dick, rode up as far as Forty-Fifth Street, to look atthe lots which he had suggested buying. They were located in a veryeligible situation, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Some of my youngreaders may not be aware that the dimensions of a city lot aretwenty-five feet front by one hundred feet in depth. The four lotstogether made a plot of one hundred feet by one hundred, or a littleless than quarter of an acre. In the country the whole would scarcelyhave been considered sufficient for a house with a good yard in front;but if people choose to live in the city they must make up their mindsto be crowded.
"It looks small,--don't it?" said Dick. "I shouldn't think there wasfour lots there."
"Yes," said Mr. Murdock, "they are of the regular size. Some lots areonly twenty feet wide. These are twenty-five. They don't look so largebefore they are built on."
"Well," said Dick, "I'm in for buying them."
"I think it will be a good investment for both of us," said Mr. Murdock.
"The money shall be ready whenever you want it," said Dick.
"Very well. I will see the owner to-morrow, or rather this evening, asit is best to be prompt, lest we might lose so favorable a bargain. Iwill make the best terms I can with him, and let you know the resultto-morrow."
"All right!" said Dick. "Good-night, Mr. Murdock."
"Good-night. By-the-by, why won't you come round and take supper withus? My wife and children will be glad to make your acquaintance."
"Thank you," said Dick. "I will come some other evening with pleasure;but if I stay away without saying anything about it, Fosdick won't knowwhat's become of me."
Dick got back to Bleecker Street a little late for dinner. When heentered the dining-room, the remainder of the boarders were seated atthe table.
"Come, Mr. Hunter, you must render an account of yourself," said MissPeyton, playfully. "Why are you late this evening?"
"Suppose I don't tell," said Dick.
"Then you must pay a fine,--mustn't he, Mrs. Browning?"
"That depends upon who is to benefit by the fines," said the landlady."If they are to be paid to me, I shall be decidedly in favor of it. Thatreminds me that you were late to breakfast this morning, Miss Peyton."
"Oh, ladies mustn't be expected to pay fines," said Miss Peyton, shakingher ringlets. "They never have any money, you know."
"Then I think we must let Mr. Hunter off," said Mrs. Browning.
"If he will tell us what has detained him. You must excuse my curiosity,Mr. Hunter, but ladies, you know, are privileged to be curious."
"I don't mind telling," said Dick, helping himself to a piece of toast."I'm talking of buying some lots up-town, and went up with a friend tolook at them."
Fosdick looked at Dick, inquiringly, not knowing if he were in earnestor not.
"Indeed!" said Mr. Clifton. "May I inquire where the lots are situated?"
"I'll tell you if I buy them," said Dick; "but I don't want to run therisk of losing them."
"You needn't be afraid of my cutting you out," said Clifton. "I paid mywasherwoman this morning, and haven't got but a dollar and a half over.I suppose that won't buy the property."
"I wish it would," said Dick. "In that case I'd buy half a dozen lots."
"I suppose, from your investing in lots, Mr. Hunter, that you arethinking of getting married, and living in a house of your own," saidMiss Peyton, simpering.
"No," said Dick, "I shan't get married for a year. Nobody ought to bemarried before they're seventeen."
"That's just my age," said Miss Peyton.
Mr. Clifton afterwards informed Dick that Miss Peyton was twenty-five,but did not mention how he had ascertained. He likewise added that whenhe first came to the boarding-house, she had tried her fascinations uponhim.
"She'd have married me in a minute," he said complacently; "but I'm tooold a bird to be caught that way. When you see Mrs. Clifton, gentlemen,you'll see style and beauty, and--_money_" he added, after a moment'sreflection.
Mr. Clifton had a tolerably good opinion of himself, as may be inferredfrom this remark. In fact, he valued himself rather more highly than theladies appeared to do; but such cases are not remarkable.
"Mrs. Clifton will be a lucky woman," said Dick, with a sober face.
"You're very kind to say so," said Mr. Clifton, modestly. "I believe I'mtolerably good-looking, and nobody'll deny that I've got style. Butmoney,--that's my weak point. You couldn't lend me five dollars, couldyou, till next week?"
"I'm afraid not," said Dick. "My up-town lots cost so much, and thenthere'll be the taxes afterwards."
"Oh, it's of no consequence. I thought a little of going to the operato-night, and I need a new pair of gloves. It costs a sight to keep afellow in gloves."
"So it does," said Dick. "I bought a pair for fifty cents six monthsago, and now I've got to buy another pair."
"Ha, ha! good joke! By the way, I wonder you fellows don't take a betterroom."
"Why should we? Isn't this good enough?" asked Fosdick.
"Oh, it's comfortable and all that," said Clifton; "but you know what Imean. You wouldn't want any of your fashionable friends to call upon youhere."
"That's a fact," said Dick. "Suppose," he said, turning to Fosdick, witha twinkle in his eye, "Johnny Nolan should call upon us here. What wouldhe think of our living in such a room?"
"He would probably be surprised," said Fosdick, entering into the joke.
"Is he one of your Madison-Avenue friends?" asked Clifton, a littlemystified.
"I don't know where he lives," said Dick, with truth; "but he's a friendof mine, in business down town."
"Wholesale or retail?"
"Retail I should say,--shouldn't you, Fosdick?"
"Yes," said Fosdick, amused at Clifton's evident mystification.
"Well, good-evening, gents," said Clifton, sauntering out of the room."Call and see me when you haven't anything better to do."
"Thank you. Good-night."
"Were you in earnest, Dick, about the up-town lots," asked Fosdick,after Clifton had left the room.
"Yes," said Dick. "It's an investment that Mr. Murdock advised. I'lltell you about it, and then you can tell me what you think of it."
Dick thereupon gave an account of the conversation that had taken placebetween him and the head clerk, and what they proposed to do. "What doyou think of it?" he concluded.
"I have no doubt it is an excellent plan," said Fosdick; "but of coursemy opinion isn't worth much. I don't see but you stand a chance to be arich man some time, Dick."
"By the time I get to be a hundred," said Dick.
"A good while before that, I presume. But there's something else we mustnot forget."
"What is that?"
"Money is a good thing to have, but a good education is better. I wasthinking to-day that since we have come here we haven't done anystudying to amount to anything."
"That is true."
"And the sooner we begin the better."
"All right. I agree to that."
"But we shall need assistance. I've taught you about all I know myself,and now we want to go higher."
"What shall we do?"
"I'll tell you, Dick. Have you noticed the young man that has a roomjust opposite ours?"
"His name is Layton,--isn't it?"
"Yes."
"What about him?"
"I heard yesterday that he was a teacher in a private school. We mightengage him to teach us in the evening, or, at any rate, see if he iswilling."
"All right. Is he in now, I wonder?"
"Yes. I heard him go into his room a few minutes since."
"Very well; suppose we go in and speak to him."
The boys at once acted upon this suggestion, and, crossing the entry,knocked at the door.
"Come in!" said a voice from within.
The door being opened, they found themselves in the presence
of a youngman of pleasant appearance, apparently about twenty-five years of age.
"Good-evening, gentlemen," he said. "I am glad to see you. Will you haveseats?"
"Thank you," said Fosdick. "We came in on a little business. Iunderstand you are a teacher, Mr. Layton."
"Yes, I am engaged in a private school in the city."
"My friend and myself are engaged in business during the day, but wefeel that our education is quite deficient, and we want to makearrangements to study evenings. We cannot do this to advantage withoutassistance. Are you occupied during the evenings?"
"No, I am not."
"Perhaps you would not like teaching in the evening, after being engagedin the daytime."
"On the contrary, I have been hoping to secure scholars; but I hardlyknew how to set about it."
"Are you acquainted with the French language, Mr. Layton?"
"Yes, I am tolerably familiar with it. I studied it at college with anative teacher."
"If you are a college graduate, then, you will be able to teach uswhatever we desire to learn. But I am afraid we may not be able to makeit worth your while. We have neither of us large salaries. But if fourdollars a week--two dollars for each of us--would be satisfactory--"
"I shall be satisfied with it," said Mr. Layton. "In fact," he added,frankly, "I shall consider it quite a welcome addition to my salary. Myfather died a year since, and my mother and sister are compelled todepend upon me in part for support. But I have not been able to do asmuch for them as I wished. This addition to my earnings will give me themeans of increasing their comforts."
"Then it will be a pleasant arrangement all round," said Fosdick. "Whatwould you advise us to study?"
After a few inquiries as to their present attainments, Mr. Laytonrecommended a course of mathematics, beginning with algebra, history,and the French language. He gave the boys a list of the books they wouldbe likely to need.
The next evening the boys commenced studying, and determined to devotean hour and a half each evening to mental improvement. They found Mr.Layton an excellent teacher, and he on his side found them very aptpupils.
Dick had an active, intelligent mind, and an excellent capacity, andFosdick had always had a thirst for learning, which he was now able togratify. As his salary would have been insufficient to pay his expensesand the teacher besides, he was obliged to have recourse to his littlefund in the savings bank. Dick offered to assist him, but Fosdick wouldnot consent. Just as his savings were about exhausted, his wages wereraised two dollars a week, and this enabled him to continue thearrangement without assistance.
In the course of a few weeks the boys commenced reading French, andfound it quite interesting.