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Five years ago I was on a raft as big as this, and right along here it was a bright moonshiny night, and I was on watch and boss of the stabboard oar forrard, and one of my pards was a man named Dick Allbright, and he come along to where I was sitting, forrard gaping and stretching, he was and stooped down on the edge of the raft and washed his face in the river, and come and set down by me and got out his pipe, and had just got it filled, when he looks up and says
Allbright, respectfully and apologetically, but with a considerable degree of firmness, had asked for it. "It is not quite convenient for me to pay you to-night, Mr. Allbright," Carroll replied, courteously. "I was expecting a considerable sum to-day, which would have enabled me to square off a number of other debts beside yours. You know that matter of Gates & Ormsbee?"
"Yes, he is." "This young man's also, I presume." "Yes, he is," declared Day. But the man only heeded Allbright's response that he was. "Well," said the man, "may I ask a question?" "Yes, you may," said Day, pertly, "but it don't follow that we are goin' to answer it." "May I ask," said the man, addressing Allbright, "if Captain Carroll has paid you your salaries?"
As had been expected and hoped, there was no objection raised at the home of Grace, and two days later found the happy four, under the guidance of Captain Clark, on their way to Camp Nomoko, in the Allbright Woods.
Allbright shook the extended hand, and felt a sudden, unexplained emotion. He returned the good-bye, and wished Mr. Carroll a pleasant vacation and restoration to health. "I am tired out and ill," Carroll admitted, in a weary voice, and his eyes, as they now met the other man's, were haggard.
"Well, I guess it's all right," said Day. "I'm goin' to take the girls to Madison Square Garden to-night. I'm pretty short of cash, but you may as well live while you do live. I wonder if the boss is married." "I don't know." "I guess he is," said Day, "and I guess he's all right and above board. Good-bye, Allbright. See you Monday."
They started to get out a boat to take him ashore and lynch him, but he grabbed the little child all of a sudden and jumped overboard with it hugged up to his breast and shedding tears, and we never see him again in this life, poor old suffering soul, nor Charles William neither. 'WHO was shedding tears? says Bob; 'was it Allbright or the baby?
"Next Monday," replied Allbright, with confidence. "Where does he live?" asked the man. Then for the first time an expression of confusion came over the book-keeper's face, but Day arose to the occasion. "He lives in Orange," replied Day. "What street, and number?" "One hundred and sixty-three Water Street," replied Day. His eyes flashed.
"Not in other ways than money," he added, quickly. "I owe him nothing." It was the first time that Carroll had ever attempted to justify himself to his child, but at that moment the sting of thinking that she might suspect that he owed Allbright money was more than he could bear. When they were in the dining-room, Carroll turned and looked at Charlotte. "My poor little girl!
Here was at least one man to whom he owed nothing, whom he had not injured. He held out his hand. "How do you do, Mr. Allbright?" he said. "Quite well, thank you, Mr. Carroll," replied Allbright, then his delight, which makes a child of most men, could not be restrained. "I have just secured a very good position in a wholesale tea-house Allen, Day & Co.," he said.
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