Part 17 (1/2)
”Putting on airs worse than ever,” replied Gilbert.
”Mr. Rockwell has a singular taste, to say the least,” said Mrs.
Crawford, ”or he wouldn't hire a boy from the streets, and give him such extravagant wages. To pay such a vagabond ten dollars a week, when a boy of good family, like Roswell, can get but four, is perfectly ridiculous.”
”I don't believe he gets so much,” said Roswell. ”It's only one of his big stories.”
”You're mistaken there,” said Gilbert. ”He does get exactly that.”
”Are you sure of it?”
”I ought to be, since I received directions from Mr. Rockwell to-day to pay him that amount to-morrow night, that being the end of the week.”
”I never heard of such a thing!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mrs. Crawford. ”The man must be a simpleton.”
”If he is, there's another besides him.”
”Who do you mean?”
”Mrs. Rockwell.”
”Has she made acquaintance with the boot-black, then?” asked Roswell, with a sneer.
”Yes, he visited them last evening at their house.”
”Did he tell you so?”
”Yes.”
”I should think they'd feel honored by such a visitor.”
”Probably they did, for Mrs. Rockwell made him a present of a gold watch.”
”WHAT!” exclaimed Roswell and his mother in concert.
”It's true. I sent him out to ask the time to-day, when he pulled out a new gold watch with an air of importance, and told me the time.”
”Was it a good watch?”
”A very handsome one. It must have cost, with the chain, a hundred and twenty-five dollars.”
”The idea of a boot-black with a gold watch!” exclaimed Roswell, with a sneer. ”It's about as appropriate as a pig in a silk dress.”
”I can't understand it at all,” said Mrs. Crawford. ”It can't be that he's a poor relation of theirs, can it?”
”I should say not. Mr. Rockwell wouldn't be likely to have a relation reduced to blacking boots.”
”Is the boy so attractive, then? What does he look like?”
”He's as bold as bra.s.s, and hasn't got any manners nor education,” said Roswell.
Poor d.i.c.k! His ears ought to have tingled, considering the complimentary things that were said of him this evening. But luckily he knew nothing about it, and, if he had, it is doubtful whether it would have troubled him much. He was independent in his ideas, and didn't trouble himself much about the opinion of others, as long as he felt that he was doing right as nearly as he knew how.