Chapter 16

A PLOT AGAINST GILBERT.

The next day Mr. Sands received an unexpected summons to Washington. A brother, who was clerk in one of the departments, was seriously ill, and he was summoned to his bedside.

�How long shall you be absent, sir?� inquired Simon Moore.

�I cannot say; it will depend on how I find my brother. Keep me apprised of what is going on by letter, and, if necessary, by telegraph.�

�Yes, sir,� said Simon, cheerfully; �you may rely upon me.�

�Where is Gilbert?�

�Gone to the post-office.�

�I have sometimes thought, Mr. Moore, that you were prejudiced against the boy.�

�I was at first, sir,� said Moore; �but on the whole he seems faithful, and disposed to do his duty.�

Mr. Sands smiled slightly, but this Mr. Moore did not observe.

�I think well of him myself,� he said.

�If he does well, he won�t have reason to complain of me,� said the book-keeper.

Again Mr. Sands smiled, but said nothing. Just as he was leaving the office for the cars, Gilbert returned.

�I wish, Gilbert, you would accompany me to the Courtland Street Ferry,� said his employer. �I am going to Washington this afternoon.�

�Indeed, sir!�

�I am summoned to my brother�s sick-bed.�

�When did you hear of his sickness, sir?� asked Gilbert, in a sympathizing tone.

�A week since; but last evening I learned by a telegram that he is dangerously sick.�

By this time they were on their way to the ferry.

�You may take my valise, Gilbert,� said the broker, �if you are willing.�

�Certainly, sir,� said Gilbert, politely. �I hope you will find your brother better.�

�I certainly hope so. He would be a great loss to his family. By the way, how are you getting on with Mr. Moore?�

�I hardly know, sir,� said Gilbert. �I don�t think he likes me.�

�Have you done anything to offend him?�

�Not that I am aware of. I have always treated him with respect.�

�That is right. If you get into any trouble with him while I am away, come to me after I return, and tell me all about it.�

Gilbert looked surprised, but of course promised to do so.

�I shall try not to get into any disturbance,� he said.

�I hope you won�t, but I fancy you will,� said his employer.

�I hope you don�t think I am quarrelsome, Mr. Sands.�

�No, that is not my reason. I will say no more at present, except to request you, if anything happens, to give me a truthful and detailed account of it when I return.�

�Thank you, sir, I will,� said Gilbert, who, though puzzled, felt that his employer was friendly towards him.

Gilbert waited till the boat started, and then returned to the office. He regretted Mr. Sands� absence, for something told him that Mr. Moore would make it very disagreeable for him while he was gone. Indeed, the book-keeper was not long in showing his state of feeling towards our hero. As Gilbert entered, he looked up sharply from his desk.

�So you are back at last?� he said unpleasantly.

�Yes, sir,� answered Gilbert.

�I thought you intended to remain away all day.�

�Mr. Sands desired me to go to the ferry with him.�

�He didn�t desire you to stop to play on the way home.�

�Did you see me playing on the way home?� demanded Gilbert, provoked.

�How could I when I was at work in the office?�

�Has any one reported to you that I stopped to play?�

�No.�

�Then why do you charge me with it?�

�Look here, young man, I advise you not to try any of your impudence on me!� said Simon Moore, who, knowing himself in the wrong, was all the more angry. �I tell you, once for all, that I won�t stand it.�

�I don�t intend to be impudent, Mr. Moore; but I do expect decent treatment from you.�

�You are showing your hand pretty quick, young man. No sooner does Mr. Sands leave the city than you begin to put on your airs. I shall take care to report your conduct to him.�

�I have neither done nor said anything that I am ashamed to have reported to him.�

�Shut up!� said Moore, sharply.

Gilbert saw that there was no use in prolonging the dispute, and quietly went about his duties. While he was absent on an errand, a little later, his predecessor, John, looked in the door, and, seeing his cousin alone, entered.

�Good-morning, cousin Simon,� he said. �Where is Mr. Sands?�

�Gone to Washington.�

�He has? How long will he be gone?�

�A week perhaps.�

John�s eyes sparkled.

�That�s favorable for us, isn�t it?� he said.

Simon Moore nodded significantly.

�You are right there,� he said. �When he gets back, Gilbert Greyson won�t be here.�

�You�ll do what we were talking about last evening?�

�Yes, I shall have plenty of chances while Sands is away.�

�Can�t you manage it to-day?�

�No, it would look suspicious; I don�t want Mr. Sands to suspect anything.�

�How soon, then?�

�Say day after to-morrow. In order to avert suspicion, I will in my letter of to-morrow speak a good word for Gilbert,�say he�s doing better than I anticipated, or something of that sort. The next day the explosion will come.�

�You�ll bounce Gilbert?�

�Yes, I�ll take that upon myself, and explain to Sands when he returns. Ten to one he won�t interfere then.�

�And you�ll take me in Gilbert�s place?�

�Yes, I�ll do that, too. But you must do better than you did last time. The fact is, John, you were lazy and careless. I was sorry to have you go, as you are my cousin; but I couldn�t blame Mr. Sands much.�

�Oh, I�ll turn over a new leaf, cousin Simon,� said John, readily. �You shan�t have anything to complain of.�

�I hope not.�

Here Gilbert returned from his errand, and the conversation necessarily closed.

Gilbert nodded politely to John, though he took no particular fancy to him.

�So the boss is away?� said John, sociably.

�Yes, he has been called away.�

�I suppose you are glad of it?�

�Why should I be?�

�When the cat�s away, the mice can play, you know.�

�This mouse does not care about playing,� said Gilbert, smiling.

�Gilbert is a model boy,� said Simon Moore, with a sneer.

�I never set up for one,� said John, in a tone of congratulation.

�I should say not,� sneered the book-keeper, who could not abstain from criticising even his cousin, in whose favor he was intriguing to oust Gilbert from his position. �However, I�ll say this for you, that you are not a hypocrite.�

�And I never want to be,� said John, virtuously.

Of course Gilbert understood that here was another hit at him; but he was discreet enough to understand that it would do him no good to notice it.

Presently John turned to go.

�Is there anything I can do for you, cousin Simon?� he asked.

�Not to-day,� answered the book-keeper, significantly. �You can look round again in a day or two.�

�All right.�

As John left the office, a small boot-black approached him.

�Shine yer boots?� he asked.

�Get out of my way!� said John, crossly, at the same time lifting his foot and kicking the boy.

�What did you do that for?� said the boy, angrily.

�Because I pleased.�

�Then take that;� and the knight of the brush swiftly touched John�s cheek with the dirty brush, leaving a black mark upon his assailant�s cheek.

John would have renewed the attack, but a chorus of laughter at his appearance drove him back into the office to wash off the black mark.

�I�ll wring his neck when I get a chance,� muttered John, angrily.

�He wouldn�t have touched you, if you had let him alone,� said Gilbert. �Why did you kick him?�

�Because I pleased. Mind your business, or I may kick you, too.�

�You�d better not,� said Gilbert, quietly.