CHAPTER XVI. A SCRAP OF PAPER.
|Bernard was in the stateroom one day during the absence of ProfessorPuffer, when he noticed on the floor a fragment of paper, looking like aportion of a letter with writing upon it. He picked it up andmechanically read the words which it contained.
The paper had been torn irregularly across, so that it contained nocomplete sentence. The words it did contain arrested his attention. Thisis a transcript of them:
the boy in my way. Would like to get rid don't bring him back to your discretion.
Bernard could not doubt that the reference was to him, and that theletter of which this was a fragment had been written by his guardian, asa document of instruction to Professor Puffer. It was clear that theprofessor was an agent of Mr. McCracken, and that the latter was anxiousto get him out of the way.
But how? How much danger was involved in this unfriendly disposition ofhis guardian? Again, why did he want to get rid of him? These werequestions which Bernard found himself unable to answer.
It was clear, however, that his engagement as private secretary was onlya subterfuge in order to get him under the charge of Puffer, who wasevidently no professor at all. It seemed an elaborate and clumsy deviceon the part of Mr. McCracken, but Bernard must take things as he foundthem, and form his own plans accordingly.
He wished he could have seen the whole letter, as the additionalinformation it contained might help him to a decision. One thing,however, seemed evident: that it would be wise to part company withProfessor Puffer as soon as practicable after he reached Europe. On theship it was policy for him to continue the companionship, and leave theprofessor ignorant of the discovery he had made.
Bernard considered whether he had better communicate the contents of thescrap of paper to any one on board. On the whole, it seemed wise, incase anything should happen. There was not one of the passengers whom hefelt like taking into his confidence.
Dr. Felix Hampton had no thought except for his bilious tonic, andBernard doubted if he was a man of discretion. Nelson Sturgis wasprobably reliable, and seemed friendly, but, upon the whole, Bernardpreferred to intrust the secret to Jack Staples. He was an humblefriend, but a man to be trusted. He therefore took the earliestopportunity of speaking to Jack.
"I've got something to show you, Jack," he said, when he found thesailor alone.
"All right, lad. What is it?"
"This scrap of paper."
"Do you want me to give you my opinion of your handwriting?"
"It isn't my handwriting."
"Whose then?"
"To the best of my knowledge, it is the handwriting of my guardian,Cornelius McCracken."
Jack studied the paper, and then asked quietly: "Where did you findthis, lad?"
"In my stateroom. It was dropped, no doubt, by Professor Puffer."
"So I surmised. You think it was written to him by your guardian?"
"Yes; I think there can be no doubt of that. Now, what do you think itmeans, Jack?"
"It means mischief," said Jack sententiously. "It was written by onerascal to another. Of course, by 'the boy' he means you."
"Yes."
"And he wants to get rid of you?"
Bernard nodded.
"If we had the whole letter we could see into this thing better. How didhe expect that professor fellow to get rid of you?".
"That's the question I've been asking myself, but I can't answer it.".
"What do you think of doing, lad?"
"I shall leave the professor as soon as I get a chance."
"Yes, that's sensible."
"But I can't leave him while we are on shipboard. I must wait till weget to the other side."
"I suppose he wouldn't try to do you any harm on board the Vesta," saidthe sailor thoughtfully.
"I don't think so."
"Still, it's best to watch."
"I was going to ask you to do that, Jack."
"So I will, lad, as well as I can, but you know I'm just a sailor, andmy duties on this here vessel don't give me much of a chance."
"That's true, Jack."
"Do you think that he'll suspect that you've got the paper?"
"I can't tell yet. It seems to have been torn off, perhaps, for alighter. He may not miss it."
"If he had sense he'd guard such a letter as that carefully."
"I would, if it were mine, but some men are careless, and I think he isone of that kind."
"You mean to leave him when you get to the other side?"
"Yes, Jack."
"Have you any money?"
"Only a few dollars."
"If I was only at home, lad, I'd see that you had money. But all mymoney--over a hundred dollars," added Jack, with pride--"is in a savingsbank in York. I don't carry any money with me."
"Thank you, all the same, Jack; I guess I'll get along somehow."
"It's a hard thing to be three thousand miles away from home withoutbrass. Still, there's one thing in your favor, lad."
"What is that?"
"You're sure to make friends. Why, I was your friend as soon as Iclapped eyes on you."
"Thank you, Jack; but all may not be as friendly as you."
"You'll get along, lad; take my word for that."
"Your words encourage me, Jack. Any way, I'd rather trust a perfectstranger than Professor Puffer."
"I surmise you're right there, lad."
Bernard was curious to find out whether the professor had discovered theloss of the telltale scrap of paper. He therefore watched him carefully,thinking that he might learn this by his manner. But Professor Pufferdidn't appear to suspect anything, and Bernard took care not to betrayby his own manner that he had made any discovery.
Days passed--a period more than long enough to reach their destined porthad the Vesta been a steamer, but being only a sailing vessel, contrarywinds kept her back, and when twenty days had passed they were still outat sea. Both Jack and Bernard kept the professor under careful watch,but neither one detected anything of a suspicious character.
This Bernard remarked to Jack one day.
"You're right, lad; the time hasn't come yet. The mischief he's up toisn't on board ship. He will wait till he has you on shore."
"If he does that, it'll be too late, for as soon as we reach port, or assoon after as I can, I mean to leave him."
"That'll be the best way. Didn't you tell me he was going to pay you asalary?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Twenty-five dollars a month."
"More than half the month has passed. Why don't you strike him for apart of your salary?"
"He would think I had no use for money on board."
"All the same, lad, ask him. It won't do no harm, and if you getanything, it will help you after you have left him. You can't get alongin England without money, or, for that matter, anywhere else."
"I can think of one place, Jack."
"Where's that?"
"Where _Robinson Crusoe_ was wrecked on a desolate island money was ofno use to him, though I believe some was saved from the wreck."
"You're right there, lad; but as soon as he got off it would help him."
"Well, Jack, I'll take your advice, and let you know what he says."
Accordingly, the next day, when Bernard found himself alone withProfessor Puffer, he said: "I have been with you about twenty days,professor."
"Is it as long as that? What of it?"
"I thought you might be willing to advance me half a month's salary?"
"What do you want of money? There are no shops on the Vesta."
"That's true, but I should feel a bit more comfortable with a littlemoney in my pocket."
"Do you want to play for money?"
"No, sir."
"You can't use any money till you get to Liverpool."
"I know it, sir, but----"
"When you get there I will give you some; till then you have no occasionfor any. Besides,
you have done no work."
"I have been ready for work if you had any for me."
"That's all right. You shall have a chance to work in due time. Wecouldn't do any work on the ship."
Bernard had to be content with this. He reflected that if the professorcarried out his promise, and gave him half a month's salary on reachingLiverpool, that would be as soon as he would have any use for it.
As the voyage drew nearer and nearer the end, Bernard grew excited. Anew life lay before him. What would be the result of his efforts to makehis own living, after he had left the professor?
Bernard Brooks' Adventures: The Experience of a Plucky Boy Page 16