CHAPTER XXXVI. PROFESSOR PUFFER BECOMES AN ALLY.
|Professor Puffer let his eye glide slowly over Bernard's figure. Henoted not only his increase in size, but his neat dress, and bright andhandsome face.
"How long have you been in America?" he asked abruptly.
"I arrived yesterday by the Etruria."
"You seem well and prosperous," went on Puffer, with an envious sigh.
"Yes; I have been fortunate."
"It is wonderful. You are elegantly dressed. Yet I left you destitute,or rather you left me, without a penny to fall back upon."
"That is true, Professor Puffer."
"It was a reckless step to take."
"It may have been, but you must admit that I had good reasons for takingthe step," said Bernard significantly.
"What are you doing? Are you employed?" asked the professor, withoutcomment.
"I am, and I am not. I am nominally private secretary to my kind friend,Mr. Walter Cunningham," said Bernard, with a look at that gentleman.
"The gentleman who advertised in London for a traveling companion?"
"The same."
"I sought the position. I should have been much better qualified thanyou," said the professor peevishly.
"You don't appear to have prospered," rejoined Bernard.
"No. Is it not disgraceful that a man of my attainments should fill thisignoble position?" said Professor Puffer bitterly.
"Couldn't you get anything better to do?"
"If I could you would not have found me traveling through the streets asa sandwich man. Up and down I walk through the livelong day, and howmuch do you think I receive for my degrading labors?"
"I suppose it is not much."
"Fifty cents a day," answered the professor bitterly.
"And you live on that?"
"Don't live on it I starve."
"But I don't see how you became so reduced. Was not Cornelius McCracken,my old guardian, a friend of yours?"
"McCracken! The selfish beast! Don't name him to me. I can't bear tohear his name spoken."
"Has he treated you badly?" asked Bernard.
"Has he not? I was his confidential agent. He selected me to do hisdirty work. He placed you under my care, having certain interests of hisown to serve."
"I have always wondered what his object could have been?"
As Bernard spoke he fixed his eyes eagerly upon the face of his oldcompanion. He felt persuaded that Professor Puffer could tell him whathe was very anxious to know. He meant before the interview was over toobtain from him light as to his relations with Mr. McCracken.
"Have you see him lately? Won't he do anything for you?" he continued.
"Listen! When I returned from Europe, two months since, I called uponhim. I had previously communicated with him by letter. He asked afteryou. I told him that you were dead."
"Why did you tell him that?"
"Because it was what he wished to know."
"Did he wish me to die?" asked Bernard, startled, but not whollysurprised.
"He did. In sending you to Europe with me, he wished to get rid of you,and I had instructions to that effect."
"That accounts for your trying to throw me overboard that night on theVesta."
"Yes. I was endeavoring to carry out my instructions."
"Were the instructions oral or written?"
"Written. I had a letter in McCracken's own handwriting."
"Don't that give you a hold upon him?"
"It would if I had kept it, but unfortunately I lost it on the steamer,I think."
Bernard had the letter in his trunk at the hotel. He had alwayspreserved it, thinking that some time he might find a use for it. Ofcourse the professor didn't know this.
"I reported your death," continued Puffer. "I said you had been run overand fatally injured in Marseilles. I could see how much satisfactionthis news afforded Mr. McCracken. He ascertained by cunning questionsthat I didn't have his letter in my possession, and then he became cooland indifferent. 'I am sorry for the boy's death,' he said. 'He wasyoung to die. I think you must have been careless.' 'I was only carryingout your instructions,' I said. 'What do you mean?' he retorted. 'Icommitted him to your charge. If I gave you any instructions, producethem.'
"This I couldn't do, and he knew it.
"I represented to him that I was very poor, and needed help.
"'Really,' he said, 'that is nothing to me.'
"'Can't you give me employment?' I asked.
"'I have no places vacant,' he answered coldly.
"'What am I to do?' I asked. 'I have no money.'
"'Surely you don't expect me to support you,' he said impatiently. 'Youhave no claim upon me.'
"Then I bethought myself of a clever scheme.
"'Surely,' I said, 'you will repay me the sum I paid out for the boy'sfuneral.'
"He reflected a moment, and then answered in the affirmative.
"'Yes,' he said, 'if you will give me a receipt in due form.'
"I went out of the office with one hundred dollars in my pocket."
"It was certainly a lucky thought," said Bernard, smiling; "consideringthat my funeral expenses are paid, I feel unusually full of life.However, I am glad you got the money."
"It is all gone now!" went on Puffer mournfully. "I lived perhaps toofreely while it lasted. When it was gone I called once more at Mr.McCracken's office, and was literally kicked out. What do you think ofthat?"
Hitherto Walter Cunningham had stood by in silence, listening to theconversation between Bernard and his quondam guardian. Now he cameforward with a question.
"Can you tell me, Professor Puffer," he asked, "why Mr. McCracken wishesto get rid of Bernard?"
"The answer is an easy one. He has in his possession ten thousanddollars intrusted to him by Bernard's father. It must amount to a gooddeal more now from the interest that has accrued."
"What proof can you give of this? Did he ever write to you to thateffect?"
"No; but he admitted it to me in conversation."
"I am disposed to get this back from him. Are you willing to help me?"
"I wish I could," said Puffer earnestly. "I owe him a grudge. That wouldbe a welcome revenge. But I am afraid there is no chance. If only I hadthat letter of instructions I could prove at any rate that he wanted meto get rid of him."
"That would give us a hold on him, and with the help of it I think wecould bring him to terms."
"But unfortunately I have lost the letter," continued the professorregretfully.
"Professor Puffer," said Bernard, "that letter is still in existence."
"Is it?" asked Puffer eagerly. "Where is it?"
"I have it in my trunk. I found it on the floor of your stateroom on theVesta. It is not quite complete, but there is enough in it with yourhelp to fasten a very serious charge upon Mr. McCracken."
"Good! good! I am thankful," said the professor. "I will go with you,and beard him in his den. He shall repent the way in which he hastreated me. But you will have to wait till evening. I shall not bethrough with my work till six o'clock."
"You can leave it now," said Cunningham. "I am not at all sure that youare entitled to the title of professor, but at all events you are fitfor something better than a sandwich man. I will see that you are nolonger reduced to such humble work."
"I shall be thankful," said Ezra Puffer, "deeply thankful if you willfind me a better position. Sometimes I meet a man whom I knew in betterdays, and then I am inexpressibly mortified to be seen in such aposition."
"I think I can promise you some more congenial employment. Do you knowwhere the Brevoort House is?"
"Yes."
"Come round there at ten o'clock to-morrow morning, and call for me. Youremember my name?"
"Yes; you are Mr. Cunningham."
"Do you think," asked Puffer, "that you could spare me half a dollarnow? I feel quite hungry, and I should like to make a good meal."
"Certainly. Here are five dollars. Now, be sure
to call at the BrevoortHouse to-morrow morning."
"Most certainly I will," said the professor, eying the bank note he hadjust received with a joyful glance. "I should be a fool if I didn't.Through you and Bernard, I hope to have another chance of livingrespectably. Now I must go and surrender this badge of my servitude,"and he glanced disdainfully at the two placards which he had alreadyremoved from their position behind and in front. "I hope, Bernard, youwill never be subjected to such humiliation."
"I hardly think it likely," said Walter Cunningham, "especially ifthrough you he obtains possession of his father's money."
"I will do my best, sir. I think, Cornelius McCracken," he continued,snapping his fingers at an imaginary form, "that we shall be too muchfor you at last. You will be sorry that you did not treat me better."
Professor Puffer disappeared rapidly round the corner of Houston Street,and Bernard and Walter Cunningham walked up town to their hotel.
"Things seem to be turning in your favor, Bernard," said his companion."The money left by your father will not be of so much consequence to younow, but it will be a satisfaction to wrest it from the hands of yourfaithless guardian. Professor Puffer will prove to be a good friend toyou after all."
Bernard Brooks' Adventures: The Experience of a Plucky Boy Page 36