Part 20 (1/2)

”What plans have you made for winter about your school, my boy?”

A sudden look of surprise flitted over the boy's face ere he answered, ”I haven't made any, Uncle Richard. I can't, you see, because the days will be so short that I'm afraid there'll not be time after my recitations. And there's no stove nor fireplace in the room, and not much of anything comfortable. But I'm going to try, though,” he added, hopefully.

Trafford was silent and thoughtful for a long time. At last he said, ”What would you say if I forbade you to continue your school through the winter?”

”I don't think you'll say that, Uncle Richard,” said Noll,--not very confidently, however. ”I should be very sorry to give it up now.”

”Even if I thought it best?”

Noll could not deny but that he should. ”They're just beginning to learn,” he said, ”and it would be too bad for them to lose all they have gained. Don't you really think so, too, Uncle Richard?”

[Ill.u.s.tration: Culm Rock.]

Trafford made no reply to this question, but, when he spoke again, said, ”Not even if another teacher filled your place, Noll?”

The boy's tongue was silent with wonder and astonishment. Then, thinking his ears had deceived him, he said, ”Why--why--what did you say, Uncle Richard?”

”I asked you,” said Trafford, ”whether you would be willing to give up the school if another teacher took your place?”

The warm, eager color rushed into Noll's face, and he cried, ”Do you mean that--that--a teacher might take my place, Uncle Richard? Do you really mean it? Were you in earnest, and shall I answer?”

”To be sure,” said his uncle, gravely enough.

”Oh, Uncle Richard!” cried Noll, ”I _knew_ the time would come some day! I knew it! I knew it! And will you hire a teacher for those Culm children? Was that what you meant?”

”I do not know that they need two,” said Trafford.

”Yes, I'll give up the school this minute!” said Noll, remembering that he had not answered his uncle's question; ”I'm willing to, if the children can only have a teacher. Oh, but it seems too good to be true! And are you really going to hire some one to take my place?”

”I have hardly thought yet; you must not press questions upon me too fast. I do not know my own mind.”

Hagar heard their voices, and came around the piazza corner to say, ”Tea hab been waitin' fur ye dis yer whole hour, Mas'r d.i.c.k, an'

'tain't growin' better, nohow. Will ye hab it wait any longer?”

”No, we're coming, shortly,” said Trafford, and presently they went in to tea, for which Noll had not the least appet.i.te, in spite of his long walk,--it being quite driven away by the question which his uncle had put to him,--and he spent most of the meal-time in taking keen and watchful looks at Uncle Richard's face, to see when it began to cloud over with gloom and grow stern and moody again. But the shadow which he so much dreaded did not make its appearance, and from the supper-table they went to the library, where Hagar had lit the lamp, Noll feeling wonderfully happy and quite sure that this was the eve of a brighter day for Uncle Richard and the Culm people.

Contrary to his usual habit, Trafford did not take up his books on reaching the library, but sat looking thoughtfully at Noll, and at last, as if speaking his thoughts aloud, he said,--

”If a new teacher comes, a new schoolroom will have to follow, as a matter of consequence; and those two rough benches which I saw over at Culm are hardly the best style of school furniture. And how is it about books?”

”There are none but primers and leaves from old spelling-books,” said Noll, sitting very still and quiet with delight at hearing Uncle Richard ask such questions. It all seemed like a dream, and not at all a matter of reality. What could have come across the man's feelings so suddenly and with such effect?

Trafford resumed his inquiries after a short silence, and little by little drew from his nephew the whole story of the school's commencement, and what drawbacks the lack of a good room, with seats and desks and the necessary books, were, till he had made himself acquainted with all the needs of the school. He talked with Noll about the Culm people, and listened to the boy's hopeful and enthusiastic account of their slight improvement, with something that was very like interest. But the school seemed to interest him most. He proposed that a teacher be sent for to take charge of the school during the winter, and that the best room which could be found among the houses be fitted up as a schoolroom, and as nicely and warmly as possible. The teacher and the furniture would have to come from Hastings, and most likely a carpenter would be needed. Noll thought of John Sampson at once.

So the evening pa.s.sed away in planning and discussion, and when Noll went to bed, it seemed as if all the events of the afternoon and evening were but phases of a happy dream, which morning light would banish as unreal. His thankfulness for this token of dawn, after the long, black, weary night of gloom through which he had struggled, could not find words enough in which to praise G.o.d for this promise of brighter days. He prayed that it might not be fleeting, and that morning might not show this gleam of brightness to be only imaginary.

But the morrow came, and proved yesterday's events to be real and true, and Uncle Richard still without his stern and gloomy face, and ready to perfect the plans which they had discussed the previous evening.

One day after another pa.s.sed, till Noll began to be certain that Uncle Richard's gloom and moroseness had departed from him forever.

The boy wondered and surmised, but could not account for this sudden disappearance of the shadow. What had wrought the change so suddenly?