Reuben Stone's Discovery/Chapter 11

It was plain to see that Mr. Norton was deeply angered; indeed, he seemed to be in as violent a rage as it is possible for a man to attain. His teeth were tightly closed, and his hands twitched nervously.

I made no reply to his last words, and then he went on,—

"Don't you understand that I am your guardian, and that I am to be informed of all your affairs?"

"I understand that you are to know all about the mill matters," I said evasively.

"And about your matters too. Why didn't you tell me about the boat, and your going after her?"

"Because I didn't choose to do so, sir."

I did not like his manner of speech, and I spoke defiantly. Had he been more reasonable in his actions I should have answered him as respectfully as was possible.

"You didn't choose to do so?" he repeated.

"No, sir. It was my own private affair, and had nothing to do with my father's estate."

​"Humph! don't you know that you are a minor?"

"I do know that."

"And that you have nothing but what is included in your father's estate, and subject to the claims I have against it?"

"I don't know what the law is on that point. I shall find out very soon."

Mr. Norton changed color.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked in a low voice.

"I mean that I am going to see the proper authorities, and have the case go on in the proper way."

"Do you mean to say that you are going to see some lawyer?"

I nodded.

"You young fool, you! What good will that do?" he retorted.

"It may do a good deal of good. I don't know anything about the law, and I want matters straight."

"You'll incur a lot of unnecessary expense; that's all. We can settle this matter just as well between ourselves. I have bills for all that is due me, and after these are paid the balance shall be held in trust for you."

I made no reply. Had Mr. Norton been a different kind of a man I might have been satisfied with his plan, but I could not bring myself to trust him.

​"Did you hear what I said?" he demanded.

"I did, sir."

"And agree to it?"

"No, sir; I am going to see Squire Slocum about the matter."

"You will gain nothing by it."

"I shall be better satisfied."

"Do you mean to say that you don't trust me?"

To this I made no reply.

"Answer me!"

"I'm going to have the thing settled by law, sir."

"And how soon?" he sneered. "As soon as possible. I'll go and see Squire Slocum to-morrow."

I had hardly uttered the words when Mr. Norton grasped me by the collar and jammed me up against the wall.

"You'll do nothing of the kind!" he foamed. "I won't have the money squandered in court!"

"Let go of me!" I cried.

"No, I won't; until you promise to behave and do as I say!"

"I—I—won't promise."

Mr. Norton's grasp was a tight one, and I was in danger of choking. I tried to break away, but he held me fast.

"You will promise!" he stormed. "I am not to be tricked by a boy!"

​For reply I kicked out with my right boot as hard as I could. The blow caught the man in the shin, and howling with pain he relaxed his grip, and I squirmed away and made for the door.

"Stop! stop!"

"I won't stop," I returned, when I was at a safe distance. "I am not to be treated like a dog."

"Come here, Reuben! I'm not going to treat you like a dog. I only want you to act reasonably."

"I am acting reasonably."

"No, you're not. Come in here and get supper ready. It's time we had it—going on eight o'clock."

What was I to do? I was tremendously hungry, and to a growing boy his appetite is an important thing. I lingered on the doorstep.

"Come in here and prepare supper," he repeated.

"Will you promise not to touch me if I do?"

"Yes, I'll promise," he replied somewhat doggedly.

For an instant more I hesitated, and then I re-entered the living-room of the mill. Mr. Norton did not offer to lay hands on me, and I set to work getting the evening meal on the table.

"Do you know this Carney?" he asked after a long spell of silence.

"I know of him," I replied briefly.

"Who were the other two men?" he went on, pulling out his pipe and filling it.

​"Strangers around here," I said, but did not add that they were the two that had called on him during my absence.

"Were they with this Carney when he went away?"

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Norton got up and took several turns about the room.

"Got that supper ready?" he asked abruptly.

"Almost."

"Well, hurry up! I want to go down to Bend Center this evening."

"This evening!" I exclaimed. "It's rather late."

"Isn't the tavern open?"

"I suppose it is."

There was another period of silence, and we sat down to eat. I wondered what had put Mr. Norton in the notion of going to the Bend that night. Was he really going to the tavern, or was he going to head me off by seeing Squire Slocum before I had the chance of doing so?

It did not take him five minutes to finish, and then he arose and put on his hat.

"Do you know the way?" I asked.

"Of course I do," he snarled. "Didn't I live here years ago?"

That was true; and this put the thought into my mind that perhaps he was going to call on some old acquaintance.

​But then I remembered that one of the two strangers had said that something was to be done that night. Did Mr. Norton propose to take a hand in this?

"When will you be back?"

"In an hour or so. You had better go to bed. I suppose you are tired."

"Yes, sir."

In a moment more Mr. Norton was gone, and I was left alone. I cleared away the dishes, and then sat down in the big rocker to think matters over.

I was confused over the things that had happened since Mr. Norton's arrival. His claims and the affair of the Catch Me bewildered me. I was but a boy, brought up almost in the backwoods, and I could not reason out what was going on.

But I was satisfied that something was wrong. It seemed to be in the very air, and I could not help but feel it.

Then my mind reverted to my father's untimely end, and I shed bitter tears as I thought over how I had been thus suddenly left alone in the world.

My meditations were interrupted by a heavy knock on the door. I sprang to my feet, wondering who the visitor could be.

An instant later the knock was repeated, even louder than before. I bade the person enter. The door swung open, and I found myself face to face with Andy Carney! ​I was startled, and stepped back. The fisherman saw that I was alone, and he shut the door behind him and locked it.

"Carney!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, it's me," he replied. "Guess, young fellow, you didn't just expect to have me call on you." And he leered at me wickedly.

I began to feel uneasy at once. There was nothing at hand by which I could defend myself.

"What do you want?" I asked, as coolly as I could.

"I come over to get even with you. What do you mean by setting Rich Williams on my track?"

"Mr. Williams was after his boat."

"Thought you said it was your boat?"

"I thought it was; but the man who gave it to me didn't pay for it, and so I had to give it up. Did you see Mr. Williams?"

"Did I see him?" The fellow uttered a short laugh. "Yes, I seen him; and it was all I could do to get away. But I want you to understand that you have got to shoulder this scrape. I've got nothing to do with it."

"You altered the boat," I returned; "and you tried to steal her too."

"Stop right there!" he cried. "Do you see this? I mean business." And as he spoke he drew out a pistol.