CHAPTER X.
REINSTATED.
The gentleman whom Terry had thus startlingly accosted looked withsurprised inquiry for a moment upon the boy; then a bright smile ofjoyful recognition breaking over his face, he caught him by bothshoulders, and shook him playfully, exclaiming,--
"Why, you young rascal! where on earth have you sprung from? How gladI am to see you! Where have you been all this while?"
Mr. Hobart's tone was so thoroughly cordial that Terry for a momentwondered whether he understood why he had run away; but as he hesitatedin uncertainty as to where to begin to answer the questions showeredupon him, the other went on,--
"Did you clear out because you were afraid you'd be suspected ofstealing that wharfage money?"
Terry had only time to nod before Mr. Hobart continued,--
"That's just what I said all along. I felt sure it was nothing else,although Morley tried hard to put other things on you; and a week afteryou vanished the whole thing came out. The chap that ran off with yourvest that day was arrested for stealing something else, and your watchwas found on him, and he was so scared that he owned up to everything.So you see your reputation's all clear again."
To all this Terry listened in breathless delight. It was far betternews than he had ever hoped to hear, for it meant that his explanationwould be accepted at once, and he would not have a cloud of suspicionhanging over him, as had been his dread.
"O Mr. Hobart!" he cried, "sure it's great good news you're tellin' me,that makes my heart as light as a feather. I've been tryin' so hard toget back to Halifax for ever so long, and everything's been agin me.But now you'll take me back--won't you, Mr. Hobart?--and I'll tell Mr.Drummond just how it happened."
"That I will, Terry," responded Mr. Hobart. "And you just met me intime too, for I'm off by train this very afternoon, for I've finishedthe business which brought me here, and I'm in a hurry to get homeagain."
"And so was I meself," shouted Terry, dancing about on the pavement forvery joy. "And now we'll go together. Oh, but this is the lucky dayfor me!"
In the excess of his delight Terry came near forgetting Mr. Sargent,and the duty he owed him of telling the good news. But happily in goodtime the thought of his benefactor came to him, and on Mr. Hobarthearing about him he said they must go off and see him at once.
The Sargents were very glad to hear of their protege's good fortune,and although manifestly reluctant to bid him good-bye, they gave himtheir blessing with a warmth that showed how he had found the way intotheir hearts.
"Remember, my dear boy," were the old gentleman's parting words, "thetruths I have sought to teach you in our brief sojourn together. Layfast hold on eternal life; and although we may never meet again onearth, I shall look for you above."
Deeply affected by these solemn words, Terry with tear-filled eyesmurmured, "I'll try my best, sir," as he turned to follow Mr. Hobart,who had gone on a little in advance.
That afternoon the two set forth for Halifax, and on the way thitherTerry had time to tell his companion in full detail the wonderfulexperiences which had been his during the past two months. Mr. Hobartwas intensely interested, as may be imagined, and would often exclaim,--
"Why, Terry, you'll be the hero of the place for nine days at least.If one of these newspaper men get hold of your story, they'll make agreat to-do over it. I think I must tell the editor of the _Herald_ tohave you interviewed."
"Sure now and you're only joking, Mr. Hobart," was Terry's response tothis banter, for it never entered his mind that any doing of his couldbe worth newspaper notice.
"Not a bit of it, Terry," Mr. Hobart insisted; "you'll see when we getto Halifax."
They reached their destination without mishap in due time, and as itwas too late to go to the office that day they each went to their ownhomes, Terry promising to be at Drummond and Brown's bright and earlythe next morning.
It was not without some misgivings as to the kind of reception awaitinghim that Terry made his way to Blind Alley. What would his mother sayto him? And would his father strike him, as he had done more than oncebefore when he had been away from home for a time?
He passed and repassed the entrance to the alley several times beforehe could make up his mind to enter its forbidding gloom. But at last,saying to himself, "Ah! what's the use of foolin' like this? Heregoes," he pushed in with quickened pace until he was within ten yardsof the tenement house, when his progress was suddenly arrested by afamiliar voice falling upon his ear. It was saying, in tones ofdespairing grief,--
"No, no, Mrs. O'Rafferty, I'll never see his face again. He's gone offin one of those American ships, believe me, and he'll be kilt ordrownded or something by this time."
This was too much for Terry. Darting forward, he sprang upon hismother with a suddenness that would have startled a far less excitableperson, and clasping her tight about the neck, cried,--
"I'm nayther kilt nor drownded, mother darlin', but as well as I everwas. See if I'm not."
Poor Mrs. Ahearn! The shock was really more than she could stand, andshe fainted dead away on the door-step, with Terry and Mrs. O'Raffertydoing their best to hold her up.
But she soon regained her senses, and then ensued a scene of rejoicingsuch as only a crowd of warm-hearted Irish folk could accomplish.Terry was violently kissed by the women and clapped on the back by themen, and pulled this way and that way by the boys, until there washardly any breath left in his body: and he was mighty glad at last toescape with his mother up to their own room, where they could have aquiet talk together.
A happy pair were they that night, and when Black Mike came in from histavern it fortunately happened that he was in one of his rare amiablemoods, and greeted his returned son with a show of affection thatfilled the others' cup of joy to the full.
It was only natural that Terry should feel considerable nervousness inregard to appearing at Drummond and Brown's, and this would have beengreater still but for his timely encounter with Mr. Hobart, who wouldtherefore be ready to make the way easy for him.
As it happened, the first one he encountered on entering the office wasMorley, who of course knew nothing of his return, and who had beencherishing in his envious heart the hope that he might never see himagain. He made no attempt to disguise his disappointment.
"Humph!" he grunted. "Back again like a bad penny," and turning hisback on him went into another part of the office.
This was pretty hard for Terry to bear, particularly in view of hissensitive state of mind; but by a great effort he controlled himself,and kept back the hot words that rose to his lips. He had learned abetter way than to return evil for evil since he last saw Morley, andhe was resolved to live up to it.
The next person he saw was Mr. Hobart, who welcomed him warmly, andthen put him at his ease while the other clerks crowded round withquestions, some asking merely for chaff, and others in genuine interest.
Terry bore the ordeal very well indeed, but felt quite relieved when itcame to an end and the clerks all took up their work for the day,leaving him to await Mr. Drummond's arrival.
When he came down, and sent for Terry, the boy went before him with abeating heart. Although the fear of being thought guilty of stealingthe money was gone, still there were the neglect of duty and thefoolish running away from the consequences to be judged for; and heknew that, kind as Mr. Drummond had been, he was no less just than kind.
But he did not know that Mr. Hobart had been at Mr. Drummond's housethe previous evening and told him Terry's story, and that therefore theold gentleman was ready to receive him, not with stern words ofcondemnation, but with kind words of encouragement.
Yet Mr. Drummond liked his joke, and when Terry presented himselfbefore him, trembling and blushing, he assumed an air of great gravity,and said in his most impressive tone,--
"Well, sir, you've come back, I see; and now, what have you to say foryourself?"
With brimming eyes and quivering lips, Terry began to express hispenitence, b
ut had not got very far when Mr. Drummond's countenancerelaxed, and smiling pleasantly he held out his hand, saying,--
"You needn't mind, Terry; I know all about it already. Mr. Hobart toldme last night. Just tell me some of the things you saw in the UnitedStates."
And in this way the much-dreaded interview passed off, with the resultthat at the close Terry felt himself fully restored to his formerstanding in the office, and able to hold up his head once more amonghis fellow-clerks.
He did not take long to settle down to work again. He was full ofdesire to atone for his errors, and gave his whole attention towhatever was assigned him, bringing the whole strength of his reallyunusual if untrained mental powers to bear upon the task in hand as hehad never done before.
As a natural consequence, he rapidly grew in favour with his superiors,and had many an encouraging smile from Mr. Drummond, who heard goodreports of him from time to time. One especially welcome outcome ofthis improved state of affairs was that Morley's malice received such asnubbing on all sides that he positively had to hold his bitter tongueand leave Terry in peace, to the great relief of the latter, who nowhad smooth going in every way, and was as happy a boy as walked thestreets of Halifax.
It was quite a week after his return before he heard anything more ofCaptain Afleck, and then there came a letter from him at Boston to thefirm inquiring if they knew anything about Terry, as he had beensearching all over the city for him, but could find no trace of himwhatever.
Terry was considerably amused when this was told him, and with the aidof Mr. Hobart concocted quite a humorous reply, in which he poked funat the captain for not knowing how to take care of himself. Inresponse to this the captain wrote expressing his relief at learningthat Terry was back in his place, and stating that now his mind was atrest about him he would remain in Boston to complete his claim againstthe insurance company, so that Halifax would not be likely to see himfor some little time.
One thing that gave Terry increasing concern was the squalor of theirabode in Blind Alley. With the help of his wages much better quarterscould be obtained; but Black Mike would not stir, and of course Mrs.Ahearn would not leave him, shamefully as he treated her. So Terry hadperforce to be patient, awaiting the time when his father's mind mightchange, or some other way out of the difficulty be found.
Matters had been going on in this pleasant fashion for a month or so,when one afternoon in the early autumn the whole establishment ofDrummond and Brown, from the grave old partners down to Terry, wasthrown into a state of excitement by the news coming down from thesignal-station on the citadel that a blockade-runner had been chasedright to the mouth of the harbour, and was now steaming up at atremendous rate with all her flags flying in token of her fortunateescape.
Long Wharf was quickly crowded with eager sightseers, and presently thebeautiful vessel came into view, the white foam curling back from hersharp bow as she ploughed a deep furrow through the yielding water.Coming off the wharf she slowed up, described a graceful semicircle,and then glided smoothly into dock amid the cheers of the assembledpeople, who were always glad to welcome a blockade-runner from motivesof interest no less than of sympathy.
Hearty responses came from the deck of the blockade-runner, which wasno other than the famous _Colonel Lamb_--the largest, costliest, andswiftest of the whole fleet engaged in that dangerous work. She hadbrought her cargo of cotton through many perils, and great would be theprofit of those interested in the venture.
While the people were fraternizing with the crew, and asking them athousand questions about their run, the captain of the blockade-runnercame off, accompanied by his first officer, who bore a black bagevidently filled with something heavy; and after greetings had beenexchanged with Mr. Drummond and Mr. Brown, the four men went on up tothe office.
Mr. Hobart, noticing this, called to Terry, who stood near him,watching all that was going on with deep interest, and thinking of therebel steamers of a very different type that he had seen in HamptonRoads, "Come along, Terry; we may be wanted at the office." And sothey two followed.
At the office the four gentlemen had been closeted for nearly an hour,when Mr. Hobart was called in to receive some instructions withreference to the disposition of the black bag. But just as Mr.Drummond was about to give them, a shout of "Fire" came suddenly upfrom the wharf, and there was a rush of men towards the end of the lineof warehouses.
Now, it chanced that in one of the warehouses was stored a quantity ofpowder awaiting shipment on the blockade-runner, and at the thought ofthis danger, Mr. Drummond, springing up in great alarm, thrust the baginto his desk, locked it up, and directing Mr. Hobart to remain in theoffice, hurried out, followed by the other three.
The fire proved to be rather a serious one, which took a couple ofhours to entirely master, but happily it did not reach the buildingwhere the powder was stored. When the peril had altogether passed, andMr. Drummond, very much wearied by the excitement and exertion,returned to the office, it was long beyond the usual time for closing;so, ordering a cab, he drove off home without another thought in regardto the black bag, which, in view of its contents, ought to have beenlocked up in the safe.
From his place in the outer office, Terry had got a glimpse of the bag,and of how it had been put away, and in the talk he had with his motherevery night before going to bed he told her about it.
"Faith and it looked as if it might have a heap of money in it," heconcluded; "those great big gold pieces you know, mother, good fortwenty dollars every one of them, like them blockade-runners have intheir pockets. Man dear, but they are beauties!" and his eyes openedwide with admiration and longing.
As he finished speaking, a movement at the door behind the two roomscaused him to turn round, and he saw his father, whom he had supposedto be sound asleep in the other room, standing in the doorway with astrange look in his eyes that Terry recalled afterwards with a sharpthrill of apprehension. Evidently Black Mike had been listening to thetalk, and understood its purport. He made no remark, however, butafter standing there in silence for a moment, wheeled about and wentback to bed.
The next morning, shortly after Mr. Drummond's arrival at the office,there were indications of some unusual occurrence having taken place.The partners were seen to be in anxious consultation, and presently Mr.Hobart was called in to their sanctum. He came out shortly with a verytroubled countenance, and Terry ventured to inquire,--
"Is there anything the matter, Mr. Hobart?"
"I should say there was something the matter," was the reply. "Mr.Drummond's desk has been broken open, and that black bag which was fullof gold has been stolen."