Half incredulous, Squire Carter made out the receipt, and a roll of bills was handed to him. He counted them carefully, and put them in his wallet.
"The money is correct," he said, stiffly. "I am glad you are able to pay it."
"Thanks to Andy here," said his father, with a grateful look at his son.
"All is well so far, but if your son has borrowed the money it will have to be repaid."
"I didn't borrow it, Squire Carter."
"Do you mean to say that you have been able to save it up out of your boy's wages?"
"I received it from my employer for special services."
Squire Carter left the house not altogether satisfied. He had received his interest, but he had hoped to profit by the farmer's needs, and get what would have been of considerably greater value than the money. In this he had been disappointed.
"But six months hence interest will be due again," he reflected, by way of consolation. "This time the Grants were lucky, but won't be so all the time. Besides, when the mortgage falls due it will take more help than the boy can give to settle it."
When the squire reached home, he found Conrad waiting to see him.
"Well, pa," he said, "am I going to have the boat?"
"No," answered his father, shortly.
"Why not? You said you would get it for me."
"They wouldn't sell."
"Then how will they pay the interest?"
"It is paid already."
Conrad opened his eyes wide with amazement.
"Where did the money come from?"
"The boy advanced it to his father."
"You must be joking, pa. Where could Andy get ninety dollars?"
"He only had to supply seventy. As to where it came from I can't tell.
You had better ask him."
"So I will. It's a shame I can't have the boat."
"He wants too much for it."
"How much does he want?"
"I don't know. If he will let you have it for thirty dollars, you can buy it."
"Thank you, pa. It's the same as mine. A boy like Andy can't afford to refuse thirty dollars."
"I don't know. He seems a mighty independent sort of boy."
Conrad lost no time in trying to purchase the boat of Andy, but of course without success.
"I would rather keep it myself," was the reply.
"But you can't use it."
"Not at present, perhaps, but I may be able to some time. Besides, Mr.
Gale gave it to me, and I shouldn't be willing to part with it. At any rate, I wouldn't sell for thirty dollars."
"Never mind, Conrad," said his father. "When the next interest is payable, Andrew will probably be glad to accept your offer."
Andy enjoyed the short visit home. He managed to see the boys with whom he was most intimate, and promised to look out for positions in the city for two of them. At home his presence was a source of comfort and joy to his mother. It gladdened him to see the bright look on her face, which had been grave and anxious when he arrived.
On Monday, morning he set out for New York on an early train, feeling that his visit had been in every way a success. Several boys were at the station to see him off, but among them he did not perceive Conrad Carter.
CHAPTER XXX.
AN UNEXPECTED PROPOSAL.
Three months later, when Andy entered the office one morning, he found Mr. Crawford in a thoughtful mood.
"I wish you were older, Andy," he began, abruptly.
"Why, sir?"
"Because I have a commission I could then intrust to you."
"Then I am too young for it now?"
"I am afraid so. And yet--but I will tell you what it is, and see if you consider yourself equal to it. How old are you now?"
"Seventeen, sir."
"I will explain myself. I am intimately acquainted with the men who are engineering the Northern Pacific Railroad, and I have reliable advices that work will at once be resumed on it, and probably the road will be completed in less than a year."
"I suppose this will raise the price of our land in Tacoma?"
"Precisely. Still, I think it will not be advisable to sell for some time to come. My object is rather to buy more land."
"I should think it would be a good idea."