Part 3 (2/2)
”Then----” gasped Greg.
”Why, fellows, now that Mrs. Dexter is away, and we can't stop her, and as to-morrow will be Christmas, why, perhaps----”
Not one single member of d.i.c.k & Co. was at all lacking in imagination now!
”Why, do you think----”
”I wonder if----”
”Fellows,” hinted d.i.c.k Prescott dryly, and in a tone that hid the excitement going on within him, ”it won't take us long to skate back to Gridley!”
CHAPTER II
d.i.c.k & CO. FIND CAUSE FOR GLEE
Lawyer Ripley was one of the important men of the little city of Gridley. His law practice, which he did not now follow on account of the need of an income, put him in touch with all the wealthier people of the place.
In manner the lawyer was rather severe and austere. He was a good deal of an aristocrat. While he did not seek to repel people, he had little of the knack of drawing people to him in democratic fas.h.i.+on.
”Come in!” he called, in answer to the knock that d.i.c.k gave on the door.
As the boys entered they saw the lawyer pausing beside his coat rack.
”I am afraid we have gotten along a little too late, sir,” apologized d.i.c.k Prescott.
”I can spare you two or three minutes,” said the lawyer, turning and going back to his desk.
”Your son said you wished to see us,” Prescott continued.
”Yes,” said the lawyer, pulling a drawer in his desk open and glancing inside. ”Late yesterday afternoon I received a letter from my client, Mrs. Dexter, who directed me to hand you each a new ten-dollar bill, with her best wishes for a Merry Christmas added.”
”I am afraid that Mrs. Dexter intends that as a reward for what we were able to do for her last fall,” cried d.i.c.k, flus.h.i.+ng. ”We tried to tell her, at the time, that we didn't want any reward and that we wouldn't feel comfortable in taking one.”
”Nothing was said in Mrs. Dexter's letter about a reward,” replied the lawyer dryly. ”She directed me to hand you the banknotes in place of Christmas cards. I suppose you young gentlemen have no objection to receiving Christmas cards?”
Lawyer Ripley took out several banknotes. One of these he now held out to Prescott.
d.i.c.k flushed again, looked embarra.s.sed, then reached out his hand slowly and took the money.
”Will you send Mrs. Dexter our thanks, sir, and tell her that we enjoyed the cards very much?”
”Especially the pictures on them,” added Dan Dalzell, as he received his banknote.
”I will send all your messages,” nodded the lawyer, as he continued the distribution.
”Say--whoop!” suddenly exploded Greg Holmes.
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