He was not much surprised on Monday afternoon to receive the followingletter from Erastus Tarbox:
"My Dear Young Cousin:--We have been wondering what has become of you,and Mrs. T. and myself have often wished to invite you to pass a Sabbathat our humble home. Not knowing your address, I could not write to you,or I should have done so. You can imagine, therefore, the pleasure wefelt when Pliny told us that he had met you, and gave us tidings of yourremarkable success, which I am sure does you great credit.
"He tells me that you fill a very responsible position, and receive avery liberal salary. I could wish that Pliny might be equally fortunate,and shall esteem it a great favor if you will mention him to yourrespected employer, and recommend him for any lucrative position whichhe may bestow upon him. Pliny is a very capable boy, and has beencarefully trained to habits of frugality and industry.
"Can you not soon come out and pass a Sabbath with us? The esteem whichwe have for your late lamented mother alone would secure you a cordialwelcome, not to speak of the friendship for yourself. Pliny often saysthat you seem to him like a brother, and he would truly enjoy yourcompanionship.
"Your sincere friend and cousin, Erastus Tarbox."
The time was when Frank would have put confidence in the friendlyexpressions used by Mr. Tarbox, but his eyes had been opened, and heunderstood that if misfortune should come to him, it would not do tolean upon his cousins at Newark.
Frank wrote a civil reply to Mr. Tarbox, thanking him for hisinvitation, but saying that at present it would not be convenient forhim to accept it. He added that should an opportunity offer he would beglad to assist Pliny to a better position than he now held.
In spite of his wish to be cordial, his letter was felt by the Tarboxfamily to be cold, and they regretted that they had not treated himbetter during his brief visit to them.
But then how could they suppose he would be so successful? If the timeshould ever come when he recovered his property, they would be preparedto make a determined effort to convince him that they had always beenhis affectionate friends.
About this time Frank received another letter, which afforded himgreater satisfaction than the one from Newark.
This letter was from Col. Vincent, who, it will be remembered, hadpurchased Ajax when Mr. Manning persisted in selling him. It was asfollows:
"My Dear Frank: I learned incidentally from one of our townsmen, whorecently met you in New York, that you have been very successful inobtaining employment, and that of an honorable and responsiblecharacter. It relieved my mind, for, knowing how hard it is for a boy tomake his own way in a large city, I feared that you might be sufferingprivation, or living poorly. I hope, however, you would in that casehave applied to me for such help as your father's old friend would havebeen glad to offer.
"Your stepfather has not been heard from directly. I learn, however,from some friends who have met him abroad that he is having trouble withMark, who is proving difficult to manage, and has contracted a dangeroustaste for gaming. Mr. Manning was obliged to leave Baden-Baden onaccount of this unfortunate tendency, and is even thinking of returningto the Cedars, where his son will be removed from temptation. To this,however, Mark will be likely to make strenuous opposition. He will findit dull to settle down here after having tasted the gayety of Europe."
Here followed a little local gossip, which the writer thought mightprove interesting to Frank, and the letter concluded with a cordialinvitation to our hero to spend a Sunday with him, or a longer time, ifhe could be spared from his duties.
Frank was disposed to accept the invitation, but his acceptance waspostponed by an unusual service which he was called upon to render toMr. Percival.
Of this the reader will hear everything in the next chapter.
CHAPTER XXXII
MR. PERCIVAL'S PROPOSAL
One morning, after writing several letters for his employer, the youngsecretary asked Mr. Percival if he had any further commands.
The old gentleman answered thoughtfully:
"I have been thinking of asking you to do me an unusual service."
"I shall be very glad to serve you in any way, Mr. Percival," saidFrank, promptly.
"I have no doubt of it," said the old gentleman, kindly. "I haveobserved your willingness to undertake any duty, and, still more, yourdisposition to perform it thoroughly. In this particular case, however,I have been considering whether a boy of your age would be competent todo what I desire."
Frank was not self-distrustful, neither was he over-confident. He wasnaturally energetic and ambitious to distinguish himself, and notafraid to undertake any difficult task.
"Will you try me, Mr. Percival?" he said. "I will do my best tosucceed."
"I am quite inclined to try you, Frank," said Mr. Percival; "the more sobecause I know of no one else in whom I could confide. But I must giveyou an idea of what I have in view. It would require you to make ajourney."
Frank listened to this gladly. To a boy of his age, who had seen butlittle of the world, a journey offered attractions.
"I should like to travel," he said.
"I have no doubt about that," said Mr. Percival, smiling. "At your age Iam sure I should have been equally willing to see something of theworld, though traveling involved at that time far more hardships than atpresent. Now, however, I like best to stay by the fireside, and shoulddread very much a journey to Minnesota."
"To Minnesota!" exclaimed Frank, with sparkling eyes.
He had not thought of a journey so extended.
"Yes; it would be necessary for you to go out to Minnesota. Ordinarily,a man can best look after his own affairs; but in the present instance,I suspect that you could do better than myself. I don't mean this as acompliment, but a boy like you would not be suspected, and so coulddiscover more than I, from whom facts would be studiously concealed.But, of course, you don't understand my meaning. I will explain, andthen you can comprehend me."
Frank was all attention.
"You must know that I own a good deal of property in a certain townshipin Southern Minnesota. When a young man, I bought three hundred andtwenty acres of land in the township of Jackson, obtaining it at aslight advance on government rates.
"Some improvements had been made, and I was induced to visit the place.I found but three families in residence, but I saw also that the placehad large natural advantages, water-power, etc., and presented anunusually favorable site for a village. I had considerable means, andstarted the village by erecting a dozen houses, a store, a sawmill,gristmill, and so on.
"This formed a nucleus, and soon quite a village sprang up. The sawmilland gristmill proved profitable, all my houses were tenanted, and Ierected more, securing also additional land. In course of time I wasinduced to sell some of my houses, but I still own two stores, a dozenhouses, the saw and gristmills, besides two outlying farms.
"Living so far away, I could not attend personally to the businessconnected with my investment, and was compelled to appoint an agent. Upto four years since, I was fortunate enough to possess the services of acapable and trustworthy man, named Sampson. He died after a few weeks'illness, and I was compelled to look out for a successor.
"Now, I had a distant cousin, who had never succeeded very well in life,and was at that time seeking for employment of some kind. He heard ofthe vacancy, and importuned me to appoint him as my agent in Jackson. Ihad no reason to doubt his honesty, though his repeated failures mightwell have led me to suspect his capacity. I was weak enough, as I nowconsider it, to yield to his importunities and give him the post hesought.
"The result was that during the first year of his incumbency the amountturned over to me was only three-fourths as much as in the last year ofhis predecessor. The second year there was a further falling off. Thesame happened the third year, until at the present time my rents amountto less than half what they were in Mr. Sampson's time.
"Of course, my suspicions that my cousin was at least inefficient werearoused long since. I have repeatedly
asked an explanation of thediminished revenues, and plenty of excuses have been made, but they donot seem to me satisfactory.
"Moreover, I have heard a rumor that Mr. Fairfield is intemperate in hishabits, and I have considerable reason to believe that the story iscorrect. I have made up my mind that something must be done. A regardfor my own interests requires that if my agent is unfaithful he shouldbe displaced, and I wish to find out from some reliable source the truestate of the case.
"Now I will tell you what I have in view. I propose to send you out toJackson to investigate and report to me your impressions of the mannerin which Mr. Fairfield discharges his duties, and whether you think achange should be made in the agency."
Frank listened to Mr. Percival with a flushed face and a feeling ofgratification and pride that he should be thought of in connection witha responsible duty.
"I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Percival," he said, "for thinking ofme in such a connection. You may feel that I am presumptuous forthinking I have any chance of successfully accomplishing what youdesire, but if you are willing to trust me, I am willing to undertakeit, and by following your instructions closely, and doing my best, Ithink I can succeed."
"I am willing to trust you, Frank," said Mr. Percival. "You are a boy,to be sure, but you have unusually good judgment, and I know you will befaithful to my interests. I understand, then, that you are willing to goout as my accredited representative?"
"Yes, sir. When do you want me to start?" said Frank, promptly.
"As soon as you can get ready."
"I will start to-morrow, if you desire it, sir."
"Let it be to-morrow, then. We will now discuss some of the detailsconnected with the mission."
CHAPTER XXXIII
PREPARING FOR A JOURNEY
After receiving certain instructions from Mr. Percival in regard to themanner of carrying on his inquiries, Frank said:
"There is one thing I have thought of, Mr. Percival, that may interferewith my success."
"What is it, Frank? I shall be glad to receive any suggestion from you."
"I have been thinking, sir, that it may excite surprise that I shouldcome to Jackson, and remain there without any apparent motive. PerhapsMr. Fairfield might suspect that I came from you."
"I hardly think so, Frank. He would not suppose that I would select soyoung a messenger. Still, it will be well to think of some pretext foryour stay. Can you help me?"
"I have been thinking, sir, that I might fit myself out as an agent, orpeddler, or something of the kind. It would not only give me an excusefor my journey, but enable me to call from house to house and pick upinformation about Mr. Fairfield."
"A capital idea, Frank. I see that you are better fitted for the taskthan I supposed. I give you authority to fit yourself out in any way youchoose. I shall have to leave a great deal to your own judgment."
"Then, sir, I think I might lay in a stock of stationery, pens andarticles of that nature. Probably this is so common that I would bethought to be nothing more than I seemed."
"That strikes me rather favorably, Frank."
"I could fit myself out in the city, and take the articles along with mein an extra valise or carpetbag."
"Let me suggest an amendment to your plan," said Mr. Percival. "Waittill you get to Chicago, and lay in your stock there. The advantage ofthat arrangement will be that you will be saved the care of yourmerchandise up to that point, and, as you may be asked where youobtained your stock, it will create less surprise if you mention Chicagothan New York. It would be considered hardly worth while for a New Yorkboy to go so far on such a business--"
This seemed to Frank an excellent suggestion and he instantly adoptedit.
The next day Frank started on his long journey. He carried with him asupply of money provided by Mr. Percival, and he was authorized to drawfor more if he should require it.
He divided this money into two portions, keeping a small sum in hispocketbook, but the greater part of it in an inside vest pocket, whereit would not be likely to be looked for by pickpockets.
This arrangement was suggested by Mr. Percival.
"I once experienced," he said, "the disadvantage of carrying all mymoney in one pocket. I was in a Southern city, or, rather, on my way toit, when an adroit pickpocket on the car relieved me of my walletcontaining all my available funds. I did not find out my loss till I hadarrived at the hotel and registered my name. You can imagine myembarrassment. It was my first visit to that particular city, and I hadno acquaintances there, so far as I was aware. Had I mentioned myposition to the landlord, he might very probably have taken me for anadventurer, traveling on false pretenses."
"What did you do, sir?" asked Frank, interested.
"I took a walk about the city, my thoughts occupied in devising a wayout of my trouble. To my great relief, I had the good fortune, duringthe walk, to meet a New York acquaintance, who knew very well myfinancial standing. I told him of my difficulty, and he immediatelyintroduced me at a bank, where I raised money on a New York draft. Iresolved, however, at that time, never again to carry all my money inone pocketbook, as boats and railroad trains on the long routes aregenerally infested by pickpockets and sharpers."
Frank at once set about preparing for his journey.
He bought a ready-made suit of blue cloth, not unlike that worn by thedistrict telegraph boys of to-day, which he judged would look moresuitable than his ordinary attire for the character he was about toassume of a traveling peddler.
He bought a through ticket to the railroad point nearest Jackson, andthen, bidding good-bye to Mr. Percival and his family, started on histrip.
Little Freddie made strenuous opposition to parting with his favorite,but Frank promised to bring him home a present, and this diverted thelittle fellow's thoughts.
CHAPTER XXXIV
FRANK REACHES JACKSON
It was four o'clock in the afternoon when Frank Courtney left the carsand set foot on the platform before the station at Prescott, five milesdistant from the town of Jackson, in Southern Minnesota.
He looked about him, but could see no village.
Prescott was a stopping place for the cars, but there was no settlementof any account there, as he afterward found.
He had supposed he would find a stage in waiting to convey him toJackson, but it was clear that the business was not large enough towarrant such a conveyance.
Looking about him, Frank saw a farm wagon, the driver of which hadevidently come to receive some freight which had come by rail.
Approaching the driver, who seemed to be--though roughly dressed--anintelligent man, Frank inquired:
"How far is Jackson from here, sir?"
"Five miles," was the answer.
"Is there any stage running there from this depot?"
"Oh, no! If there were, it wouldn't average two passengers a day."
"Then I suppose I must walk," said Frank, looking rather doubtfully atthe two heavy valises which constituted his baggage.
"Then you are going to Jackson?"
"Yes, sir."
"I come from Jackson myself, and in fifteen minutes shall start on myway back. You may ride and welcome."
"Thank you, sir!" said our hero, quite relieved. "I hope you will allowme to pay you as much as I should have to pay in a stage."
"No, no, my lad," said the farmer, heartily. "The horse can draw you aswell as not, and I shall be glad to have your company."
"Thank you, sir!"
"Just climb up here, then. I'll take your baggage and put it on thewagon behind."
When the farmer had loaded up, he started up the team. Then, findinghimself at leisure, he proceeded to satisfy his curiosity bycross-examining his young passenger.
"Do you come from the East?" he asked.
"I am last from Chicago," answered Frank, cautiously.
"I suppose you've got some friend in Jackson?" ventured the farmer,interrogatively.
Frank smiled.
"You are the only man liv
ing in Jackson that I ever met," he said.
"Indeed!" said the driver, puzzled. "Are you calculating to make a longstay in our village?" he asked again, after a minute's pause.
"That depends on business," answered the young traveler.
"Are you in business?"
"I have a stock of stationery which I shall offer for sale in Jackson,"answered Frank.
"I am afraid you'll find it rather a poor market. If that's all you haveto depend upon, I am afraid you'll get discouraged."
"I am also agent for an illustrated book," said Frank. "I may be able todispose of a few."
"Perhaps so," answered the farmer, dubiously. "But our people haven'tmuch money to spend on articles of luxury, and books are a luxury withus."
"I always heard that Jackson was a flourishing place," said Frank, whofelt that now was his time to obtain a little information.
"It ought to be," said the farmer; "but there's one thing prevents."
"What is that?"
"A good deal of our village is owned by a New York man, to whom we haveto pay rent. He has a rascally agent--a Mr. Fairfield--who grinds usdown by his exactions, and does what he can to keep, us in debt."
"Has he always been agent?"
"No. Before he came there was an excellent man--a Mr. Sampson--whotreated us fairly, contented himself with exacting rents which we couldpay, and if a man were unlucky, would wait a reasonable time for him topay. Then we got along comfortably. But he died, and this man was sentout in his place. Then commenced a new state of things. He immediatelyraised the rents; demanded that they should be paid on the day they weredue, and made himself harsh and tyrannical."