To reassure the mother, and tell her
that the weather was so warm that Sam couldn't use the second-weight
flannels if he had them, and that when he came back Betsy's hominy
would seem better than ever--"Old Chester food will taste mighty
good, after a few husks," said Dr. Lavendar, cheerfully--to tell Sam
senior that a grateful puppy would be an abnormal monster, and to
refrain from telling him that whatever a father sows he is pretty sure
to reap--took time and strength. So Dr. Lavendar did not enter very
heartily into William King's plans for a surprise-party. However, he
did promise to come, if the doctor succeeded in getting Old Chester
together.
Meantime he and Danny and Goliath went up to The Top to tell Benjamin
Wright about Sam's Sam. The grandfather displayed no surprise.
"I knew he was going to clear out," he said; he was poking about among
his canaries when Dr. Lavendar came in, and he stopped and sat down,
panting. "These fowls wear me out," he complained. "Whiskey? No? Dear
me! Your senior warden's got you to sign the pledge, I suppose? Well,
I will; to drink the cub's health. He'll amount to something yet, if
he doesn't eat his fatted calf too soon. Fatted calf is very bad for
the digestion."
"Wright, I don't suppose you need to be told that you behaved
abominably Sunday night? Do you know where Sam is?"
"I don't; and I don't want to. Behaved abominably? He wouldn't shake
hands with me! Sam told me he was going, and I gave him some money--
well! why do you look at me like that? Gad-a-mercy, ain't he my
grandson? Besides, since our love-feast, ain't it my duty to help his
father along? I've had a change of heart," he said, grinning; "where's
your joy over the one sinner that repenteth? I'm helping young Sam, so
that old Sam may get some sense.
Pages:
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209