CHAPTER XXVI. PROFESSOR PUFFER ONCE MORE.
|What brings you here, Bernard Brooks?" demanded Professor Puffersternly. "You have no business in Mr. Cunningham's room."
"I am in the employ of Mr. Cunningham," said Bernard.
"How can that be? You are too young to be his valet."
"I have been engaged by him as his traveling companion."
To say that Professor Puffer was surprised would be too mild. He wasabsolutely overwhelmed with astonishment. He could not believe it.
"This must be a falsehood," he returned after a pause.
"You can stay here and inquire of Mr. Cunningham if you like."
"I will," said Puffer sternly. "I will let him know in that case thatyou are under my guardianship, and that I will not permit you to acceptthe preposterous engagement. You, a traveling companion!"
Bernard was not quite withered by the professor's disdainful tone.Secure in the attachment of Walter Cunningham, all fear of his quondamguardian had disappeared.
"You forget, Professor Puffer, that I was your companion," he said witha smile. "If I was fit to be your companion, I am certainly fit to behis."
"You were not my companion. You were my ward. You are my ward still, andwhen I leave this place you must go too."
"Would you take away Mr. Cunningham's traveling companion?"
"He will have no trouble in obtaining a better one. But I don't believeyou have been engaged. He would have no use for a child."
"Say 'kid' at once, professor."
"I do not use slang," returned Professor Puffer severely. "I shall waitand see Mr. Cunningham."
"You will excuse my going on with my work."
"What are you doing?"
"Sorting Mr. Cunningham's papers."
"Does he trust you to do that?"
"He requests me to do so."
"Do you actually mean to say that you have been engaged as his travelingcompanion?"
"It is quite true."
"Where did you fall in with him?"
"I saw his advertisement and applied for the place."
"Where were you staying at the time?"
"At the Arundel Hotel, near the Strand."
"Ha! And I was only in the next street How did it happen that I did notmeet you?"
"I don't know."
"If your story is true, which I can hardly believe, what pay has Mr.Cunningham promised to give you?"
"Excuse me, Professor Puffer, but I would rather not tell."
"As your guardian, I demand an answer."
"You are not my guardian. Nothing would induce me to place myself againunder your charge. You know very well what reasons I have for fearingand distrusting you."
"I suppose you allude to that little affair on board the Vesta."
"That little affair, as you call it, was an attempt to murder me."
"Nonsense!" said the professor, but he did not appear quite at his ease."You had better not make such a ridiculous charge. No one will believeit."
"You may be mistaken in that, Professor Puffer."
"When does Mr. Cunningham propose to travel?"
"You had better apply to him. I do not feel at liberty to spread hisplans."
Professor Puffer felt exceedingly mortified and annoyed. Here was asituation which he had applied for and been refused actually given to amere boy against whom he felt a grudge--his own ward, as he chose toconsider him.
"I won't let him keep the place," said Puffer, shutting his lips firmly."I will tear him away from this fool of a Cunningham--and when I get himonce more into my grasp, I will revenge myself upon him. He won't findit so easy to get away from me again." Half an hour passed. Theprofessor maintained his place, looking grim and angry. Bernard handedhim the morning issue of the London _Times_, but he seemed busy with hisown reflections, and scarcely glanced at it.
Finally a light step was heard at the door, and Mr. Cunningham enteredthe room. He looked from the professor to Bernard, and a smile formedupon his face. He guessed what had occurred.
"Professor Puffer, I believe?" he said.
"Yes, sir," answered the professor. "May I ask you if you haveconsidered my application?"
"Yes. I should have communicated with you. I have engaged Mr. Brooks tobe my traveling companion."
"Mr. Brooks!" said the professor scornfully. "Are you aware that thisboy is under my guardianship?"
"No, I am not."
"It is true, and he has no right to make any engagement without mypermission."
"Excuse me, but is this the boy of sixteen to whom you referred in yourconversation with me the other day?"
"He is."
"You said that you had been engaged as his traveling companion. You saidnothing about being his guardian."
"I didn't go into particulars," replied the professor, who began to seethat there would be something to explain.
"You said, however, that he had left you, and had left England with somefriends of the family."
"Ahem! I was mistaken. I have been requested to resume the charge ofhim."
"Have you a letter to that effect?"
"Not with me."
"Your story appears inconsistent. I am convinced that you have no claimupon Bernard. I have engaged him as my companion, and intend to take himwith me on my proposed journey."
"Of what possible use can a boy be to you?"
"That is my affair!" said Walter Cunningham shortly.
"I will not permit him to go with you."
"What do you propose to do about it?"
"I will appeal to the law."
"I think, Professor Puffer, the less you have to do with the law thebetter. Bernard has informed me of a scene on board the Vesta whichmight expose you to arrest."
"I don't understand what he refers to."
"I refer to your attempt to throw him overboard."
"Does he say that?" asked the professor in pretended amazement.
"Yes."
"Then he has told an outrageous falsehood. No such thing ever tookplace. He is the worst boy I ever met."
"When you were here before you spoke very differently of him. You saidhe was a very attractive boy, and you referred to his attachment to you.You said he shed tears at parting from you."
Bernard burst into a fit of laughter, which only aggravated his oldguardian the more.
"He didn't deserve it. I spoke of him as well as I could, because I didnot want to hurt his reputation."
"Professor Puffer," said Walter Cunningham, in a tone of disgust, "I ambusy this morning, and I will not detain you any longer."
"I will go," responded the professor, "but not alone. Bernard Brooks,come with me!"
"I decline," said Bernard.
"Then I will have recourse to the law."
"So will I," retorted Bernard.
"No one will believe your preposterous charge, if that is what you referto. You have no proof."
"There you are mistaken. I have the affidavit of Jack Staples, seaman onthe Vesta, who saved me from your murderous attack."
Puffer turned pale. What Bernard said surprised him very much, and hesaw at once that such a document would mean danger to him.
"If you want to invoke the law, Professor Puffer, you can do so," saidMr. Cunningham.
Puffer was discreetly silent. He seized his hat and left the roomwithout bidding farewell to Bernard or Walter Cunningham.
"Your friend has gone, Bernard," said Cunningham. "I venture to say thathe won't come back. It is certainly a droll circumstance that you and heshould have applied for the same situation and that he was refused."
"You may repent of your choice, Walter."
"When I do I will tell you. And now, Bernard, I have brought yousomething."
As he spoke he drew from his pocket a handsome gold watch and chain.
"I observed that you had no watch," he said, "and I resolved to supplythe deficiency."
"How can I thank you, Walter?" exclaimed Bernard in joyful excitement."Of all things it is
the one I most desired."
"You will find it a good one. In such an article as a watch, a cheap oneis not desirable. Here is one which you can keep all your life."
Before leaving London Bernard wrote the following letter to his friendBarclay:
"Dear Nat: You may be desirous of hearing from me. I have not time to gointo details. I will say, however, that my New York guardian is nofriend of mine, but as well as I can make out, a dangerous enemy. Hesent me to England in charge of a man named Puffer--he calls himselfProfessor Puffer--who tried to throw me overboard one dark night. Iescaped from him after reaching London and secured a very advantageoussituation as traveling companion to a wealthy young man named WalterCunningham. We start next week for Italy, and I am very busy makingpreparations. I will write you from Italy.
"Do you ever see my dear friend Septimus, and is he as sweet and amiableas ever? I didn't like his father, but I prefer him to Professor Puffer.
"Your sincere friend,
"Bernard Brooks."
Bernard Brooks' Adventures: The Experience of a Plucky Boy Page 26