Fairfield lives at the rate of more than twice that sum, if I can judge
from appearances."

"I suppose you would be contented with the salary which Mr. Sampson
received?"

"Contented! I should feel like a rich man. It would not interfere with
my carrying on my farm, and I should be able to make something from
that. Why, it is as much as I received as a bookkeeper, and here the
expenses of living are small, compared with what they were in Chicago. I
could save money and educate my children, as I cannot do now. I have a
boy who wants a classical education, but of course there are no schools
here which can afford it, and I am too poor to send him away from home.
I suppose I shall have to bring him up as a farmer, though it is a great
pity, for he is not fitted for it."

Mr. Hamlin sighed, but Frank felt in unusually good spirits. He saw his
way clear already, not only to recommend Mr. Fairfield's displacement,
but to urge Mr. Hamlin's appointment in his stead; that is, if his
favorable impressions were confirmed on further acquaintance.

"It seems to me," said the driver, changing the subject, "you might find
something better to do than to peddle stationery."

"I don't mean to follow the business long," answered Frank.

"It can't pay much."

"I am not wholly dependent upon it," said our hero. "There is one
advantage about it. It enables me to travel about and pay my expenses,
and you know traveling is agreeable to a boy of my age."

"That is true. Well, your expenses won't amount to much while you are in
Jackson. I shall only charge you just enough to cover expenses--say
three dollars a week."

Frank was about to insist on paying a larger sum, but it occurred to him
that he must keep up appearances, and he therefore only thanked his kind
acquaintance.

By this time they had entered the village of Jackson.

"There's Mr. Fairfield now!" said Mr. Hamlin, suddenly, pointing with
his whip to a rather tall, stout man, with a red nose and inflamed
countenance, who was walking unsteadily along the sidewalk.

Frank carefully scrutinized the agent, and mentally decided that such a
man was unfit for the responsible position he held.




CHAPTER XXXV

DICK HAMLIN


Mr. Hamlin stopped his horse a quarter of a mile from the village in
front of a plain farmhouse.

An intelligent-looking boy, of perhaps fifteen, coarsely but neatly
dressed, approached and greeted his father, not without a glance of
surprise and curiosity at Frank.

"You may unharness the horses, Dick," said Mr. Hamlin. "When you come
back, I will introduce you to a boy friend who will stay with us a
while."

Dick obeyed, and Frank followed his host into the house.

Here he was introduced to Mrs. Hamlin, a motherly-looking woman, and
Annie and Grace, younger sisters of Dick.

"I am glad to see you," said Mrs. Hamlin, to our hero, after a brief
explanation from her husband. "We will try to make you comfortable."

"Thank you!" said Frank. "I am sure I shall feel at home."

The house was better furnished than might have been anticipated. When
Mr. Hamlin left Chicago, he had some money saved up, and he furnished
his house in a comfortable manner.

It was not, however, the furniture that attracted Frank's attention so
much as the books, papers and pictures that gave the rooms a homelike
appearance.

"I shall be much better off here than I would have been at the tavern,"
he thought. "This seems like home."

"I see," said Mr. Hamlin, "that you are surprised to see so many books
and pictures. I admit that my house does not look like the house of a
poor man, who has to struggle for the mere necessaries of life. But
books and periodicals we have always classed among the necessities, and
I am sure we would all rather limit ourselves to dry bread for two out
of the three meals than to give up this food for the mind."

"I think you are a very sensible man, Mr. Hamlin," said Frank. "I
couldn't get along without something to read."

"Not in this out-of-the-way place, at any rate," said Mr. Hamlin.
"Nothing can be more dismal than the homes of some of my neighbors, who
spend as much, or more, than I do every year. Yet, they consider me
extravagant because I buy books and subscribe for periodicals."

By this time, Dick came in from the barn.

"Dick," said his father, "this is Frank Courtney, who comes from Chicago
on a business errand. He is a traveling merchant--"

"In other words, a peddler," said Frank, with a smile, "ready to give
the good people in Jackson a chance to buy stationery at reasonable
prices."

"He will board with us while he is canvassing the neighborhood, and I
expect you and he will become great friends."

"I think we shall," said Frank.

Dick was a little shy, but a few minutes set him quite at ease with his
new acquaintance.

After supper, Frank said:

"Dick, if you are at leisure, I wish you would take a walk about the
village with me. I want to see how it looks."

"All right," said Dick.

When the two left the house, the country boy began to ask questions.

"How do you like your business?" he asked.

"Not very well," answered Frank. "I do not think I shall stay in it very
long."

"Do you sell enough to make your expenses?" asked Dick.

"No; but I am not wholly dependent on my sales. I have a little
income--a hundred dollars a year--paid me by my stepfather."

"I wish I had as much. It seems a good deal to me."

"It doesn't go very far. What are you intending to be, Dick?"

"I suppose I shall have to be a farmer, though I don't like it."

"What would you like to be?"

"I should like to get an education," said Dick, his eyes lighting up. "I
should like to study Latin and Greek, and go to college. Then I could be
a teacher or a lawyer. But there is no chance of that," he added, his
voice falling.

"Don't be too sure of that, Dick," said Frank Frank, hopefully.
"Something may turn up in your favor."

"Nothing ever does turn up in Jackson," said the boy, in a tone of
discouragement. "Father is a poor man, and has hard work to get along.
He can give me no help."

"Isn't the farm productive?"

"There is no trouble about that, but he has to pay too high a rent. It's
all the fault of Fairfield."

"The agent?"

"Yes."

"Your father was telling me about him. Now, if your father were in his
place, I suppose he could give you the advantages you wish."

"Oh, yes! There would be no trouble then. I am sure he would make a
better and more popular agent than Mr. Fairfield; but there is no use
thinking about that."

"I expected myself to go to college," said Frank. "In fact, I have
studied Latin and Greek, and in less than a year I could be ready to
enter."

"Why don't you?" asked Dick.

"You forget that I am a poor peddler."

"Then how were you able to get so good an education?" asked Dick, in
surprise.

"Because I was once better off than I am now. The fact is, Dick," he
added, "I have seen better days. But when I was reduced to poverty, I
gave up hopes of college education and became what I am."

"Wasn't it hard?"

"Not so much as you might suppose. My home was not happy. I have a
stepfather and stepbrother, neither of whom I like. In fact, there is no
love lost between us. I was not obliged to leave home, but under the
circumstances I preferred to."

"Where are your stepfather and your stepbrother now?"

"They are traveling in Europe."

"While you are working hard for a living! That does not seem to be
just."

"We must make the best of circumstances, Dick. Whose is that large house
on the left?"

"That belongs to Mr. Fairfield.

"He seems to live nicely."

"Yes, he has improved and enlarged the house a good deal since he moved
into it--at Mrs. Percival's expense, I suppose."

"He seems to have pretty much his own way here," said Frank.

"Yes. Mr. Percival never comes to Jackson, and I suppose he believes all
that the agent tells him."

"He may get found out some time."

"I wish he might. It would be a great blessing to Jackson if he were
removed and a good man were put in his place."

"That may happen some day."

"Not very likely, I am afraid."

At this moment Mr. Fairfield himself came out of his front gate.

"Hello, Hamlin!" he said, roughly, to Dick. "Is your father at home?"

"Yes, sir."

"I have something to say to him. I think I will call round."

"You will find him at home, sir."

"Dick," said Frank, when the agent had passed on, "do you mind going
back? What you tell me makes me rather curious about Mr. Fairfield. At
your house I may get a chance to see something of him."

"Let us go back, then," said Dick; "but I don't think, Frank, that you
will care much about keeping up the acquaintance."

"Perhaps not; but I shall gratify my curiosity."

The two boys turned and followed the agent closely. They reached the
house about five minutes after Mr. Fairfield.




CHAPTER XXXVI

MR. FAIRFIELD, THE AGENT


The two boys found Mr. Fairfield already seated in the most comfortable
chair in the sitting room.

He looked inquiringly at Frank when he entered with Dick.

"Who is that boy, Hamlin?" inquired the agent. "Nephew of yours?"

"No, sir. It is a young man who has come to Jackson on business."

"What kind of business?'

"I sell stationery," Frank answered for himself.

"Oh, a peddler!" said the agent, contemptuously.

"Many of our most successful men began in that way," said Mr. Hamlin,
fearing lest Frank's feelings might be hurt.

"I never encourage peddlers myself," said Mr. Fairfield, pompously.

"Then I suppose it will be of no use for me to call at your door," said
Frank, who, in place of being mortified, was amused by the agent's
arrogance.

"I should say not, unless your back is proof against a broomstick,"
answered Fairfield, coarsely. "I tell my servant to treat all who call
in that way."

"I won't put her to the trouble of using it," said Frank, disgusted at
the man's ill manners.

"That's where you are wise--yes, wise and prudent--young man."

"And now, Hamlin," said the agent, "I may as well come to business."

"To business!" repeated the farmer, rather surprised, for there was no
rent due for a month.

"Yes, to business," said Fairfield. "I came to give you notice that
after the next payment I shall feel obliged to raise your rent."

"Raise my rent!" exclaimed the farmer, in genuine dismay. "I am already
paying a considerably higher rent than I paid to your predecessor."

"Can't help it. Old Sampson was a slow-going old fogy. He didn't do his
duty by his employer. When I came in, I turned over a new leaf."

"I certainly got along better in his time."

"No doubt. He was a great deal too easy with you. Didn't do his duty,
sir. Wasn't sharp enough. That's all."

"You certainly cannot be in earnest in raising my rent, Mr. Fairfield,"
said the farmer, uneasily.

"I certainly am."

"I can't live at all if you increase my rent, which is already larger
than I can afford to pay, Mr. Fairfield."

"Then I must find a tenant who can and will," said the agent,
emphatically.

"I am sure Mr. Percival can't understand the true state of the case, or
the circumstances of his tenants. Will you give me his address, and I
will take the liberty of writing to him and respectfully remonstrate
against any increase?"

Mr. Fairfield looked uneasy.

This appeal would not at all suit him. Yet how could he object without
leading to the suspicion that he was acting in this matter wholly on his
own responsibility, and not by the express orders of his principal? How
could he refuse to furnish Mr. Percival's address?

A middle course occurred to him.

"You may write your appeal, if you like, Hamlin," he said, "and hand it
to me. I will forward it; though I don't believe it will do any good.
The fact is that Mr. Percival has made up his mind to have more income
from his property in Jackson."




CHAPTER XXXVII

FRANK RECEIVES A LETTER FROM MR. PERCIVAL


While Frank was waiting for an answer to a letter to Mr. Percival he
devoted part of his time to the business which was supposed to be his
only reason for remaining in Jackson.

I am bound to say that as regards this business his trip might be
pronounced a failure. There was little ready money in Jackson. Many of
the people were tenants of Mr. Percival, and found it difficult to pay
the excessive rents demanded by his agent. Of course, they had no money
to spare for extras. Even if they had been better off, there was little
demand for stationery in the village. The people were chiefly farmers,
and did not indulge in much correspondence.

When Frank returned to his boarding place on the afternoon of the first
day, Mr. Hamlin asked him, not without solicitude, with what luck he had
met.

"I have sold twenty-five cents' worth of note paper," answered Frank,
with a smile.

Mr. Hamlin looked troubled.

"How many places did you call at?" he inquired.

"About a dozen."

"I am afraid you will get discouraged."

"If you don't do better, you won't begin to pay expenses."

"That is true."

"But perhaps you may do better to-morrow."

"I hope so."

"I wish you could find something in Jackson that would induce you to
remain here permanently, and make your home with us. I would charge you
only the bare cost of board."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Hamlin. I should enjoy being with you, but I
don't believe I shall find any opening here. Besides, I like a more
stirring life."

"No doubt--no doubt! Boys like a lively place. Well, I am glad you feel
independent of your business."

"For a little time. I am afraid it wouldn't do for me to earn so little
for any length of time."

Frank enjoyed the society of Dick Hamlin. Together they went fishing and
hunting, and a mutual liking sprang up between them.

"I wish you were going to stay longer, Frank," said Dick. "I shall feel
very lonely when you are gone."

"We may meet again under different circumstances," said Frank. "While I
am here, we will enjoy ourselves as well as we can."

So the days passed, and at length a letter came from Mr. Percival. I
append the most important passages:

"Your report is clear, and I have perfect confidence in your statement.
Mr. Fairfield has abused my confidence and oppressed my tenants, and I
shall dismiss him. I am glad you have found in Jackson a man who is
capable of succeeding him. Solely upon your recommendation, I shall
appoint Mr. Hamlin my resident agent and representative for the term of
six months. Should he acquit himself to my satisfaction, he will be
continued in the position. I am prepared to offer him one hundred
dollars a month, if that will content him.

"Upon receipt of this letter, and the accompanying legal authority, you
may call upon Mr. Fairfield and require him to transfer his office, and
the papers and accounts connected with it, to Mr. Hamlin. I inclose a
check for three hundred dollars, payable to your order, which you may
make payable to him, in lieu of three months' notice, provided he
immediately surrenders his office. Should he not, I shall dismiss him
summarily, and proceed against him for the moneys he has misappropriated
to his own use, and you may so inform him."

With this letter was a letter to Mr. Fairfield, of the same purport, and
a paper appointing Mr. Hamlin agent.

When this letter was received, Frank was overjoyed, knowing how much
pleasure he was about to give his new friends.

With this appointment and salary, Mr. Hamlin would consider himself a
rich man, and Dick's hope for a liberal education might be realized.

The letter came just before supper, and, at the close of the evening
meal, Frank determined to inform his friends of their good fortune.

"Mr. Hamlin," said he, "I have some good news for you."

"Indeed!" said the farmer, surprised.

"Your rent will not be increased."

"But how do you know this! Has Mr. Fairfield told you so?"

"No," answered Frank. "I have a question to ask. Would you be willing to
take Mr. Fairfield's place at a hundred dollars a month?"

"Willing? I should be delighted to do so. But why do you say this?"

"Because," answered Frank, quietly, "I am authorized to offer it to you
at that salary."

The whole family looked at Frank in bewildered surprise. It occurred to
them that he might have become crazy.

"You!" exclaimed the farmer. "What can you have to do with the agency?"

Frank explained to a very happy family group and then he and Mr. Hamlin
set out for the house of the agent.




CHAPTER XXXVIII

THE AGENT IS NOTIFIED


It was still early in the evening when Frank and Mr. Hamlin reached the
house of the agent. Had they come five minutes later, they would have
found him absent. Usually, soon after supper, he made his way to the
tavern, where he spent his time and money in a very unprofitable way.

The agent was surprised when his two visitors made their appearance.

"What brings you here, Hamlin?" he asked, with scant ceremony.

"I come on a little matter of business," answered Mr. Hamlin, gravely.

Mr. Fairfield concluded that the farmer had come to make an appeal to
have his rent continued at the old rates, and answered, impatiently:

"I don't think it will be of much use. My mind is made up. Have you come
on business, also?" he asked, turning to Frank, with a sneer.

"Yes, sir," answered our hero, quietly.

"That will be of no use, either," said the agent. "I am not in want of
stationery, and, if I were, I should not buy of a peddler."

"I have not come here to sell stationery, Mr. Fairfield," said Frank.

"Then, may I take the liberty of asking what is your business here?"

"I come on the same business as Mr. Hamlin," answered Frank, who
preferred that his companion should introduce the subject.

"Look here, I have no time for trifling," said Mr. Fairfield, angrily.
"I am going out and can only spare you five minutes."

"Mr. Fairfield, I would advise you not to go out till you have heard
what I have to say," said the farmer in a meaning tone.

"I certainly shall. You can call some other time."

"Another time will not do."

"Look here, sir! Do you know to whom you are talking? How dare you use
such a tone to Mr. Percival's representative?"

"I suppose you don't always expect to be Mr. Percival's representative?"

"I suppose I shall die sometime, if that's what you mean; but I am not
dead yet, as you will find. To pay you for your impertinence, I shall
increase your rent more than I intended. I'll drive you out of
town--that's what I'll do."

This was accompanied by an angry stamp of the foot, which, however, did
not frighten Mr. Hamlin much.

"I shall not pay a dollar more rent, nor shall I leave the farm I
occupy," returned Mr. Hamlin, whose patience was exhausted by the rough
insolence of the man before him.

"So you defy me, do you?" demanded Fairfield, furiously.

"I shall resist your injustice, sir, or rather I would do so if you were
able to carry out your threat. Luckily you have not the power."

"Have not the power? You will see if I have not the power!" roared the
angry agent. "I give you notice that at the end of the quarter you must
go, at any rate. After your insolence, I won't let you stay on any
terms. I wouldn't let you stay if you would pay double the rent. Do you
hear me, Hamlin?"

"Yes, I hear you."

Mr. Fairfield looked at the farmer in surprise. The latter seemed
perfectly calm and undisturbed by his threat, though it was of the most
serious nature. He had expected to see him humbled, and to hear him
entreat a reversal of the sentence; but his tenant was thoroughly
self-possessed, and appeared to care nothing for the agent's threats.

"You need not expect that I will change my mind," he added. "Out of
Jackson you must go. I know there is no other farm which you can hire,
and while I am Mr. Percival's agent, you need expect no favors from me."

"I don't expect any while you are Mr. Percival's agent," said Mr.
Hamlin.

There was something in the farmer's tone that arrested the agent's
attention and excited his curiosity, though it did not awaken his alarm,
and he could not help saying:

"Then what do you expect? Do you think I am going to die?"

"I don't expect that you will die or resign, Mr. Fairfield. You may be
removed."

"Have you been writing to Mr. Percival?" exclaimed Fairfield, in mingled
anger and apprehension.

"No, sir; I have not communicated with him in any way. You would not
give me his address."

"Of course I would not," said the agent, feeling relieved. "It would be
mere impertinence for you to write to him."

"Fortunately there is no immediate occasion for me to do so, as he has
sent a representative here to investigate your official conduct."

"A representative!" exclaimed Fairfield, now thoroughly startled. "Where
is he? I have not seen him."

"He is present," said Mr. Hamlin, indicating Frank.

The agent broke into a scornful laugh.

"You? Why, you are a peddler!"

"Only in appearance, Mr. Fairfield. I assumed that business in order not
to attract attention or excite suspicion. I am really Mr. Percival's
private secretary, as I can prove to your satisfaction."

"Is this true?" he asked, in a changed voice.