which he had felt at all doubtful as to his ability to please his
employer.

Sometimes, when his eyes pained him more than usual, Mr. Percival also
employed him to read to him from the daily papers, or from some book in
which he was interested, but this did not occur regularly.

Every day, however, Frank was occupied with Freddie. The little boy knew
his alphabet, but nothing more, so that his young teacher had to begin
with him at the beginning of the primer.

He succeeded in interesting his little pupil, and did not protract his
term of study so as to weary him.

Finding that the little fellow was fond of hearing stories, he read to
him every day a story or two from Hans Christian Andersen, or from a
collection of German fairy stories, and sometimes went out to walk with
him.

Freddie was delighted with his teacher, and freely expressed his
approval to his mother and grandfather.

"Really, Frank," said Mrs. Gordon, "I shall begin to be jealous of your
hold upon Freddie. I am not sure but he likes your company better than
mine."

"I don't think Freddie will prefer anyone to his mother," said Frank;
"but I am glad he likes to be with me."

"You have certainly proved very successful as a private tutor, Frank,"
said Mrs. Gordon, "and my father tells me you succeeded equally well as
a secretary."

"It is partly because you both treat me so indulgently," answered Frank,
gracefully.

This answer pleased Mr. Percival and Mrs. Gordon, who more than ever
congratulated themselves upon the lucky chance that had thrown Frank in
their way.

Assuredly he made himself very useful in the small household,
contributing to the comfort and pleasure of Freddie, his mother and
grandfather in nearly equal measure.

While Frank's monthly salary was of great value and importance to him,
it was nothing to Mr. Percival in comparison with the pleasure and
relief afforded by his presence in the house.

It must not be supposed, however, that Frank's time was wholly occupied
by the duties of his two positions. Usually he had several hours daily
at his disposal, and these he was allowed to spend as he pleased.

Part of this he occupied in visiting different localities of the city
and points of interest in the neighborhood, and part in reading and
study.

Mr. Percival had a large and well-selected library, which, to a boy of
Frank's studious tastes, was a great attraction.

He entered upon a course of solid reading, embracing some of the
standard histories, and devoted some hours every week to keeping up his
acquaintance with the Greek and Latin authors which he had read at
school.

In this way his time was well and usefully employed, and the weeks
slipped by till almost before he was aware six months had passed.

One afternoon Frank walked down Broadway enjoying the bright sunshine.
Just in front of the St. Nicholas Hotel he heard his name called and
looking up he recognized with some surprise, Pliny Tarbox, his cousin
from Newark.

Pliny asked many questions as to what Frank was doing and how much money
he was making. Frank told him of his good fortune in obtaining the
position he held with Mr. Percival and the two parted--Frank the much
happier of the two.

Pliny urgently invited Frank to visit them but Frank would rather remain
in New York.

"I hope I shall never think so much of money as Pliny and his father,"
thought Frank. "Money is a good thing to have but there are some things
that are better."




CHAPTER XXXI

A LETTER FROM MR. TARBOX


Frank did not speak to Mr. Percival's family of his meeting with Pliny.
It was not pleasant to him to think that he was valued only for his good
fortune. He had seen but little of the Tarbox family, but he understood
very well what their professions of friendship amounted to, and that
they were not to be relied upon in an emergency.

He was not much surprised on Monday afternoon to receive the following
letter from Erastus Tarbox:

"My Dear Young Cousin:--We have been wondering what has become of you,
and Mrs. T. and myself have often wished to invite you to pass a Sabbath
at our humble home. Not knowing your address, I could not write to you,
or I should have done so. You can imagine, therefore, the pleasure we
felt when Pliny told us that he had met you, and gave us tidings of your
remarkable success, which I am sure does you great credit.

"He tells me that you fill a very responsible position, and receive a
very liberal salary. I could wish that Pliny might be equally fortunate,
and shall esteem it a great favor if you will mention him to your
respected employer, and recommend him for any lucrative position which
he may bestow upon him. Pliny is a very capable boy, and has been
carefully trained to habits of frugality and industry.

"Can you not soon come out and pass a Sabbath with us? The esteem which
we have for your late lamented mother alone would secure you a cordial
welcome, not to speak of the friendship for yourself. Pliny often says
that you seem to him like a brother, and he would truly enjoy your
companionship.

"Your sincere friend and cousin,
Erastus Tarbox."

The time was when Frank would have put confidence in the friendly
expressions used by Mr. Tarbox, but his eyes had been opened, and he
understood that if misfortune should come to him, it would not do to
lean upon his cousins at Newark.

Frank wrote a civil reply to Mr. Tarbox, thanking him for his
invitation, but saying that at present it would not be convenient for
him to accept it. He added that should an opportunity offer he would be
glad to assist Pliny to a better position than he now held.

In spite of his wish to be cordial, his letter was felt by the Tarbox
family to be cold, and they regretted that they had not treated him
better during his brief visit to them.

But then how could they suppose he would be so successful? If the time
should ever come when he recovered his property, they would be prepared
to make a determined effort to convince him that they had always been
his affectionate friends.

About this time Frank received another letter, which afforded him
greater satisfaction than the one from Newark.

This letter was from Col. Vincent, who, it will be remembered, had
purchased Ajax when Mr. Manning persisted in selling him. It was as
follows:

"My Dear Frank: I learned incidentally from one of our townsmen, who
recently met you in New York, that you have been very successful in
obtaining employment, and that of an honorable and responsible
character. It relieved my mind, for, knowing how hard it is for a boy to
make his own way in a large city, I feared that you might be suffering
privation, or living poorly. I hope, however, you would in that case
have applied to me for such help as your father's old friend would have
been glad to offer.

"Your stepfather has not been heard from directly. I learn, however,
from some friends who have met him abroad that he is having trouble with
Mark, who is proving difficult to manage, and has contracted a dangerous
taste for gaming. Mr. Manning was obliged to leave Baden-Baden on
account of this unfortunate tendency, and is even thinking of returning
to the Cedars, where his son will be removed from temptation. To this,
however, Mark will be likely to make strenuous opposition. He will find
it dull to settle down here after having tasted the gayety of Europe."

Here followed a little local gossip, which the writer thought might
prove interesting to Frank, and the letter concluded with a cordial
invitation to our hero to spend a Sunday with him, or a longer time, if
he could be spared from his duties.

Frank was disposed to accept the invitation, but his acceptance was
postponed by an unusual service which he was called upon to render to
Mr. Percival.

Of this the reader will hear everything in the next chapter.




CHAPTER XXXII

MR. PERCIVAL'S PROPOSAL


One morning, after writing several letters for his employer, the young
secretary asked Mr. Percival if he had any further commands.

The old gentleman answered thoughtfully:

"I have been thinking of asking you to do me an unusual service."

"I shall be very glad to serve you in any way, Mr. Percival," said
Frank, promptly.

"I have no doubt of it," said the old gentleman, kindly. "I have
observed your willingness to undertake any duty, and, still more, your
disposition to perform it thoroughly. In this particular case, however,
I have been considering whether a boy of your age would be competent to
do what I desire."

Frank was not self-distrustful, neither was he over-confident. He was
naturally energetic and ambitious to distinguish himself, and not
afraid to undertake any difficult task.

"Will you try me, Mr. Percival?" he said. "I will do my best to
succeed."

"I am quite inclined to try you, Frank," said Mr. Percival; "the more so
because I know of no one else in whom I could confide. But I must give
you an idea of what I have in view. It would require you to make a
journey."

Frank listened to this gladly. To a boy of his age, who had seen but
little of the world, a journey offered attractions.

"I should like to travel," he said.

"I have no doubt about that," said Mr. Percival, smiling. "At your age I
am sure I should have been equally willing to see something of the
world, though traveling involved at that time far more hardships than at
present. Now, however, I like best to stay by the fireside, and should
dread very much a journey to Minnesota."

"To Minnesota!" exclaimed Frank, with sparkling eyes.

He had not thought of a journey so extended.

"Yes; it would be necessary for you to go out to Minnesota. Ordinarily,
a man can best look after his own affairs; but in the present instance,
I suspect that you could do better than myself. I don't mean this as a
compliment, but a boy like you would not be suspected, and so could
discover more than I, from whom facts would be studiously concealed.
But, of course, you don't understand my meaning. I will explain, and
then you can comprehend me."

Frank was all attention.

"You must know that I own a good deal of property in a certain township
in Southern Minnesota. When a young man, I bought three hundred and
twenty acres of land in the township of Jackson, obtaining it at a
slight advance on government rates.

"Some improvements had been made, and I was induced to visit the place.
I found but three families in residence, but I saw also that the place
had large natural advantages, water-power, etc., and presented an
unusually favorable site for a village. I had considerable means, and
started the village by erecting a dozen houses, a store, a sawmill,
gristmill, and so on.

"This formed a nucleus, and soon quite a village sprang up. The sawmill
and gristmill proved profitable, all my houses were tenanted, and I
erected more, securing also additional land. In course of time I was
induced to sell some of my houses, but I still own two stores, a dozen
houses, the saw and gristmills, besides two outlying farms.

"Living so far away, I could not attend personally to the business
connected with my investment, and was compelled to appoint an agent. Up
to four years since, I was fortunate enough to possess the services of a
capable and trustworthy man, named Sampson. He died after a few weeks'
illness, and I was compelled to look out for a successor.

"Now, I had a distant cousin, who had never succeeded very well in life,
and was at that time seeking for employment of some kind. He heard of
the vacancy, and importuned me to appoint him as my agent in Jackson. I
had no reason to doubt his honesty, though his repeated failures might
well have led me to suspect his capacity. I was weak enough, as I now
consider it, to yield to his importunities and give him the post he
sought.

"The result was that during the first year of his incumbency the amount
turned over to me was only three-fourths as much as in the last year of
his predecessor. The second year there was a further falling off. The
same happened the third year, until at the present time my rents amount
to less than half what they were in Mr. Sampson's time.

"Of course, my suspicions that my cousin was at least inefficient were
aroused long since. I have repeatedly asked an explanation of the
diminished revenues, and plenty of excuses have been made, but they do
not seem to me satisfactory.

"Moreover, I have heard a rumor that Mr. Fairfield is intemperate in his
habits, and I have considerable reason to believe that the story is
correct. I have made up my mind that something must be done. A regard
for my own interests requires that if my agent is unfaithful he should
be displaced, and I wish to find out from some reliable source the true
state of the case.

"Now I will tell you what I have in view. I propose to send you out to
Jackson to investigate and report to me your impressions of the manner
in which Mr. Fairfield discharges his duties, and whether you think a
change should be made in the agency."

Frank listened to Mr. Percival with a flushed face and a feeling of
gratification and pride that he should be thought of in connection with
a responsible duty.

"I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Percival," he said, "for thinking of
me in such a connection. You may feel that I am presumptuous for
thinking I have any chance of successfully accomplishing what you
desire, but if you are willing to trust me, I am willing to undertake
it, and by following your instructions closely, and doing my best, I
think I can succeed."

"I am willing to trust you, Frank," said Mr. Percival. "You are a boy,
to be sure, but you have unusually good judgment, and I know you will be
faithful to my interests. I understand, then, that you are willing to go
out as my accredited representative?"

"Yes, sir. When do you want me to start?" said Frank, promptly.

"As soon as you can get ready."

"I will start to-morrow, if you desire it, sir."

"Let it be to-morrow, then. We will now discuss some of the details
connected with the mission."




CHAPTER XXXIII

PREPARING FOR A JOURNEY


After receiving certain instructions from Mr. Percival in regard to the
manner of carrying on his inquiries, Frank said:

"There is one thing I have thought of, Mr. Percival, that may interfere
with my success."

"What is it, Frank? I shall be glad to receive any suggestion from you."

"I have been thinking, sir, that it may excite surprise that I should
come to Jackson, and remain there without any apparent motive. Perhaps
Mr. Fairfield might suspect that I came from you."

"I hardly think so, Frank. He would not suppose that I would select so
young a messenger. Still, it will be well to think of some pretext for
your stay. Can you help me?"

"I have been thinking, sir, that I might fit myself out as an agent, or
peddler, or something of the kind. It would not only give me an excuse
for my journey, but enable me to call from house to house and pick up
information about Mr. Fairfield."

"A capital idea, Frank. I see that you are better fitted for the task
than I supposed. I give you authority to fit yourself out in any way you
choose. I shall have to leave a great deal to your own judgment."

"Then, sir, I think I might lay in a stock of stationery, pens and
articles of that nature. Probably this is so common that I would be
thought to be nothing more than I seemed."

"That strikes me rather favorably, Frank."

"I could fit myself out in the city, and take the articles along with me
in an extra valise or carpetbag."

"Let me suggest an amendment to your plan," said Mr. Percival. "Wait
till you get to Chicago, and lay in your stock there. The advantage of
that arrangement will be that you will be saved the care of your
merchandise up to that point, and, as you may be asked where you
obtained your stock, it will create less surprise if you mention Chicago
than New York. It would be considered hardly worth while for a New York
boy to go so far on such a business--"

This seemed to Frank an excellent suggestion and he instantly adopted
it.

The next day Frank started on his long journey. He carried with him a
supply of money provided by Mr. Percival, and he was authorized to draw
for more if he should require it.

He divided this money into two portions, keeping a small sum in his
pocketbook, but the greater part of it in an inside vest pocket, where
it would not be likely to be looked for by pickpockets.

This arrangement was suggested by Mr. Percival.

"I once experienced," he said, "the disadvantage of carrying all my
money in one pocket. I was in a Southern city, or, rather, on my way to
it, when an adroit pickpocket on the car relieved me of my wallet
containing all my available funds. I did not find out my loss till I had
arrived at the hotel and registered my name. You can imagine my
embarrassment. It was my first visit to that particular city, and I had
no acquaintances there, so far as I was aware. Had I mentioned my
position to the landlord, he might very probably have taken me for an
adventurer, traveling on false pretenses."

"What did you do, sir?" asked Frank, interested.

"I took a walk about the city, my thoughts occupied in devising a way
out of my trouble. To my great relief, I had the good fortune, during
the walk, to meet a New York acquaintance, who knew very well my
financial standing. I told him of my difficulty, and he immediately
introduced me at a bank, where I raised money on a New York draft. I
resolved, however, at that time, never again to carry all my money in
one pocketbook, as boats and railroad trains on the long routes are
generally infested by pickpockets and sharpers."

Frank at once set about preparing for his journey.

He bought a ready-made suit of blue cloth, not unlike that worn by the
district telegraph boys of to-day, which he judged would look more
suitable than his ordinary attire for the character he was about to
assume of a traveling peddler.

He bought a through ticket to the railroad point nearest Jackson, and
then, bidding good-bye to Mr. Percival and his family, started on his
trip.

Little Freddie made strenuous opposition to parting with his favorite,
but Frank promised to bring him home a present, and this diverted the
little fellow's thoughts.




CHAPTER XXXIV

FRANK REACHES JACKSON


It was four o'clock in the afternoon when Frank Courtney left the cars
and set foot on the platform before the station at Prescott, five miles
distant from the town of Jackson, in Southern Minnesota.

He looked about him, but could see no village.

Prescott was a stopping place for the cars, but there was no settlement
of any account there, as he afterward found.

He had supposed he would find a stage in waiting to convey him to
Jackson, but it was clear that the business was not large enough to
warrant such a conveyance.

Looking about him, Frank saw a farm wagon, the driver of which had
evidently come to receive some freight which had come by rail.

Approaching the driver, who seemed to be--though roughly dressed--an
intelligent man, Frank inquired:

"How far is Jackson from here, sir?"

"Five miles," was the answer.

"Is there any stage running there from this depot?"

"Oh, no! If there were, it wouldn't average two passengers a day."

"Then I suppose I must walk," said Frank, looking rather doubtfully at
the two heavy valises which constituted his baggage.

"Then you are going to Jackson?"

"Yes, sir."

"I come from Jackson myself, and in fifteen minutes shall start on my
way back. You may ride and welcome."

"Thank you, sir!" said our hero, quite relieved. "I hope you will allow
me to pay you as much as I should have to pay in a stage."

"No, no, my lad," said the farmer, heartily. "The horse can draw you as
well as not, and I shall be glad to have your company."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Just climb up here, then. I'll take your baggage and put it on the
wagon behind."

When the farmer had loaded up, he started up the team. Then, finding
himself at leisure, he proceeded to satisfy his curiosity by
cross-examining his young passenger.

"Do you come from the East?" he asked.

"I am last from Chicago," answered Frank, cautiously.

"I suppose you've got some friend in Jackson?" ventured the farmer,
interrogatively.

Frank smiled.

"You are the only man living in Jackson that I ever met," he said.

"Indeed!" said the driver, puzzled. "Are you calculating to make a long
stay in our village?" he asked again, after a minute's pause.

"That depends on business," answered the young traveler.

"Are you in business?"

"I have a stock of stationery which I shall offer for sale in Jackson,"
answered Frank.

"I am afraid you'll find it rather a poor market. If that's all you have
to depend upon, I am afraid you'll get discouraged."

"I am also agent for an illustrated book," said Frank. "I may be able to
dispose of a few."

"Perhaps so," answered the farmer, dubiously. "But our people haven't
much money to spend on articles of luxury, and books are a luxury with
us."

"I always heard that Jackson was a flourishing place," said Frank, who
felt that now was his time to obtain a little information.

"It ought to be," said the farmer; "but there's one thing prevents."

"What is that?"

"A good deal of our village is owned by a New York man, to whom we have
to pay rent. He has a rascally agent--a Mr. Fairfield--who grinds us
down by his exactions, and does what he can to keep, us in debt."

"Has he always been agent?"

"No. Before he came there was an excellent man--a Mr. Sampson--who
treated us fairly, contented himself with exacting rents which we could
pay, and if a man were unlucky, would wait a reasonable time for him to
pay. Then we got along comfortably. But he died, and this man was sent
out in his place. Then commenced a new state of things. He immediately
raised the rents; demanded that they should be paid on the day they were
due, and made himself harsh and tyrannical."

"Do you think the man who employs him knows how he is conducting his
agency?" Frank inquired.

"No; there is no one to tell him. I suppose Mr. Fairfield tells him a
smooth story, and he believes it. I am afraid we can hope for no
relief."

"What would he say," thought Frank, "if he knew I were a messenger from
Mr. Percival?"

"What sort of a man is this Mr. Fairfield in private life?" he asked.

"He drinks like a fish," was the unexpected reply. "Frequently he
appears on the street under the influence of liquor. He spends a good
deal of money, lives in a large house, and his wife dresses expensively.
He must get a much larger salary than Mr. Sampson did, or he could not
spend money as he does."

Though Frank had not much worldly experience, he could not help coming
to the conclusion that Mr. Fairfield was acting dishonestly. He put
together the two circumstances that this new agent had increased the
rents, and yet that he had returned to Mr. Percival only about half as
much as his predecessor had done. Clearly, he must retain in his own
hands much more than he had a right to do.

"I shall have to report unfavorably on this man," he thought.

One point must be considered--where he was to find a boarding place on
his arrival in Jackson.

"Is there a hotel in Jackson?" he asked.

"There is a tavern, but it's a low place," answered the farmer. "A good
deal of liquor is sold there, and Mr. Fairfield, our agent, is one of
the most constant patrons of the bar."

"I don't think I should like to stop there," said Frank. "Isn't there
any private family where I can get board for a week or two?"

"If you don't object to plain fare," said the farmer, "I might agree to
board you myself."

This was precisely what Frank wanted, and he replied that nothing would
suit him better.

"We live humbly," continued Mr. Hamlin--for this, Frank learned, was his
driver's name--"but we will try to make you comfortable."

"I feel sure of that, sir, and I am much obliged to you for receiving
me."

"As to terms, you can pay whatever you can afford. My wife and children
will be glad to see you. It's pretty quiet out here, and it breaks the
monotony to meet any person from the East."

"How long have you lived in Jackson, Mr. Hamlin?"

"About eight years. I was not brought up as a farmer, but became one
from necessity. I was a bookkeeper in Chicago for a good many years,
until I found the confinement and close work were injuring my health.
Then I came here and set up as a farmer. I got along pretty well, at
first; at any rate, I made a living for my family; but when Mr.
Fairfield became agent, he raised my rent, and, in other ways, made it
hard for me. Now I have a hard struggle."

"I thought you were not always a farmer," said Frank.

"What made you think so?"

"You don't talk like a farmer. You have the appearance of a man who has
lived in cities."

"Seems to me you are a close observer, for a boy of your years," said
Mr. Hamlin, shrewdly.

Frank smiled.

"I should be glad if your compliment were deserved," he answered. "It's
a pity you were not agent, instead of Mr. Fairfield," suggested Frank,
pointedly.

"I wish I were," answered Hamlin. "I believe I should make a good one,
though I might not turn over as much money to my employer. I should,
first of all, lower the rents and make it as easy for the tenants as I
could in justice to my New York principal."

"Do you know how much Mr. Fairfield receives--how large a salary, I
mean?"

"I know what Mr. Sampson got--twelve hundred dollars a year; but Mr.