CHAPTER V
THE ENVELOPE
Herbert woke up early the next morning, and a feeling of sadness cameover him as he reflected that it was his last morning in Waverley. Hewas going out into the world, and, as he could not help thinking, undervery unfavorable auspices. New scenes and new experiences usually have acharm for a boy, but Mr. Holden's disagreeable face and unpleasant smilerose before him, and the prospect seemed far from tempting.
When he came downstairs, he found Mrs. Kent in the kitchen.
"You are up early, Mrs. Kent," said Herbert.
"Yes, Herbert; I want you to have a good breakfast before you go."
It certainly was a nice breakfast. Tender beefsteak, warm biscuit,golden butter, potatoes fried crisp and brown, and excellent coffee,might have tempted any appetite. Herbert, in spite of his sadness, didfull justice to the bountiful meal.
The family had hardly risen from breakfast when the sound of wheels washeard outside, and directly there was a knock at the door.
"It's Mr. Holden," said the doctor, looking from the front window.
"Must we part from you so soon, Herbert?" said Mrs. Kent,affectionately.
"Where oo goin', Herbert?" asked little Mary, clinging to his knee,
"Herbert's going away, Mary," said he, stooping and kissing his littlefriend.
"Herbert mustn't go 'way," said the little girl, in discontent.
"Herbert come back soon, and bring candy for Mary," he said, wishingthat his words might come true.
By that time Mr. Holden had entered, and was surveying the scene withhis disagreeable smile.
"Little Mary is quite attached to Herbert," said the doctor.
"I am sorry," said Mr. Holden, "that I have no little girls, as Herbertseems fond of them."
Herbert doubted if he could become attached to anyone related to Mr.Holden.
"I'm a bachelor," said Mr. Holden, "though perhaps I ought to be ashamedto say so. If I had had the good fortune early in life to encounter alady like your good wife here, it might have been different."
"It isn't too late yet, Mr. Holden," said the doctor.
"Well, perhaps not. If Mrs. Kent is ever a widow, I may try my luck."
"What a disagreeable man," thought the doctor's wife, not propitiated bythe compliment. "Herbert," she said, "here are a couple of handkerchiefsI bought in the village yesterday. I hope you will find them useful."
"Yes; no doubt he will," said Mr. Holden, laughing. "He will think ofyou whenever he has a bad cold."
Nobody even smiled at this witty sally, and, Mr. Holden, a littledisappointed, remarked: "Well, time's getting on. I guess we must begoing, as we have a long journey before us."
The whole family accompanied Herbert to the road. After kissing Mary andMrs. Kent, and shaking the doctor cordially by the hand, Herbert jumpedinto the wagon. Just before the horse started the doctor handed our heroa sealed envelope, saying, "You can open it after a while."
Though, like most boys of his age, Herbert had a great horror of makinga baby of himself, he could hardly help crying as he rode up the street,and felt that he had parted from his best friends. His eyes filled withtears, which he quietly wiped away with the corner of his handkerchief.
"Come, come, don't blubber, boy," said Mr. Holden, coarsely.
Herbert was not weak enough to melt into tears at an unkind word. Itroused his indignation, and he answered, shortly, "When you see meblubbering, it'll be time enough to speak, Mr. Holden."
"It looked a good deal like it, at any rate," said Abner. "However, I'mglad if I'm mistaken. There's nothing to cry about that I can see."
"No, perhaps not," said Herbert; "but there's something to be sorryfor."
"Something to be sorry for, is there?" said Abner Holden.
"Yes."
"Well, what is it?"
"I've left my best friends, and I don't know when I shall see themagain."
"Nor I," said Mr. Holden. "But I think it's high time you left them."
"Why?" asked Herbert, indignantly.
"Because they were petting you and making too much of you. You won't getsuch treatment as that from me."
"I don't expect it," said our hero.
"That's lucky," said Abner Holden, dryly. "It's well that peopleshouldn't expect what they are not likely to get."
Here a sense of the ludicrous came over Herbert as he thought of beingMr. Holden's pet, and he laughed heartily. Not understanding the reasonof his sudden mirth, that gentleman demanded, in a tone of irritation,"What are you making a fool of yourself about?"
"What am I laughing at?" said Herbert, not liking the form of thequestion.
"Yes," snarled Abner.
"The idea of being your pet," explained Herbert, frankly.
Mr. Holden did not appreciate the joke, and said roughly, "You bettershut up, if you know what's best for yourself."
They rode along in silence for a few minutes. Then Abner Holden,thinking suddenly of the envelope which Dr. Kent had placed in Herbert'shand at parting, and feeling curious as to its contents, asked:
"What did the doctor give you just as you were starting?"
"It was an envelope."
"I know that; but what was there in it?"
"I haven't looked," said our hero.
He felt a little satisfaction in snubbing Mr. Holden, whom he saw hewould never like.
"Why don't you open it?"
"I didn't think of it before."
"I suppose there is some present inside."
Herbert decided to open the envelope, out of respect for Dr. Kent. Onopening it, he drew out a five-dollar bill, and a few penciled words,which were as follows:
"DEAR HERBERT: I would gladly give you more if I had the means. I hopeyou will use the inclosed money in any way that may be most serviceableto you. You must write to me often. Be a good boy, as you always havebeen; let your aims be noble; try to do right at all hazards, and mayGod bless your efforts, and make you a good and true man. Such is theprayer of your affectionate friend, GEORGE KENT."
Herbert read these lines with emotion, and inwardly resolved that hewould try to carry out the recommendations laid down. His thoughts werebroken in upon by Mr. Holden, whose sharp eyes detected the bank-note.
"There's money in the letter, isn't there?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Five dollars."
"Five dollars, hey?" he said. "You'd better give it to me to keep foryou."
"Thank you, Mr. Holden; I can take care of it, myself."
"It isn't a good plan for boys to have so large a sum of money in theirpossession," said Abner Holden, who was anxious to secure it himself.
"Why not?" asked Herbert.
"Because they are likely to spend it improperly."
"Dr. Kent didn't seem to think I was likely to do that."
"No; he trusted you too much."
"I hope it won't prove so."
"You'd better keep out of the way of temptation. You might lose it,besides."
"I don't often lose things."
"Come, boy," said Mr. Holden, getting impatient; "Dr. Kent, no doubt,intended that I should take care of the money for you. You'd better giveit up without further trouble."
"Why didn't he give it to you, then?" demanded Herbert.
"He supposed you would give it to me."
Mr. Holden's motive for getting the money into his own hands wastwofold. First, he knew that without money Herbert would be morehelpless and more in his power. Secondly, as he had agreed to supplyHerbert with clothing, he thought he might appropriate the money towardsthis purpose, and it would be so much of a saving to his own pocket.Perhaps Herbert suspected some such design. At any rate, he had nointention of gratifying Mr. Holden by giving up the money.
"Well, are you going to give me the money?" blustered Abner Holden,taking out his pocketbook, ready to receive it.
"No," said Herbert.
"You'll repent this conduct, young man," said Holden, scowling.
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"I don't think I shall," said our hero. "I don't understand why you areso anxious to get hold of the money."
"It is for your good," said Abner.
"I'd rather keep it," said Herbert.
Abner Holden hardly knew what to do. The money was by this time safelystowed away in Herbert's pocket, where he could not very well get atit. However, he had a plan for getting it which he resolved to put intopractice when they stopped for dinner.