it was at first on jed's mind to tell mr. holbrook of his encounter with the young man upon the beach and his subsequent conversation with the fortune-teller and her predictions in regard to chester. but he was afraid of being laughed at.
moreover, as the days passed the impression made upon his mind became weaker, and was only recalled when from time to time he saw the young man on the sands or walking on the bluff.
he got on very well with chester. the boy became strongly attached to him, much to the satisfaction of his father.
"so you like jed, do you?" said mr. holbrook one evening, on his return from the city.
"yes, papa, i like him ever so much."
"do you like him as much as clara?"
[pg 145]
"why, i don't like her at all."
time wore on till the middle of august. jed enjoyed his generous meals and the sea bathing which he shared in company with his young charge. he still lodged with harry bertram, but he shared the expense of the room.
but a change was coming, and an unwelcome one.
"chester," said his father one evening, "i am going away for a week or ten days."
"take me with you, papa!"
"no, i cannot. i am called to chicago on business, and you will be much better off here at the beach."
"jed will stay with me?"
"yes, and i have sent for your aunt maria to come and look after you while i am gone."
"but i don't like aunt maria," objected the little boy. "she's always scolding me. she doesn't like boys."
"perhaps not," said mr. holbrook with a smile. "if maria had married it might have been different, but i believe few maiden ladies are fond of children."
[pg 146]
"then why do you have her come here, papa? jed can take care of me."
"i have great confidence in jed, chester, but you will need some one to look after your clothes and oversee you in other ways."
"isn't there any one else you can send for, papa? i don't like old maids."
"don't trouble me with your objections, chester. it will only be for a little while, remember. i am sure you can get along with your aunt for ten days."
"i will try to," answered the boy with a look of resignation.
the next day miss maria holbrook came to sea spray with her brother. she was a tall, slender lady of middle age, with a thin face, and looked as if she were dissatisfied with a large proportion of her fellow-creatures.
chester looked at her, but did not show any disposition to welcome her to the beach.
"you may kiss me, chester," said the lady with an acid smile.
"thank you, aunt maria, but i am not particular about it."
[pg 147]
"well, upon my word!" ejaculated the spinster. "my own brother's child, too!"
"kiss your aunt, chester," said his father.
"no, it is not necessary," put in miss holbrook sharply. "i don't want any hypocritical caresses. robert, i am afraid you are spoiling that boy."
"oh, no, maria, not quite so bad as that. chester is a middling good boy."
miss maria holbrook sniffed incredulously.
"i am afraid you judge him too leniently," she said.
"well, you can tell better after you have had time to observe him. it is two years now since you have seen chester."
"let us hope that my first impressions may be modified," said the spinster in a tone that indicated great doubt whether such would be the case.
"jed, you may go. chester will not need you any more this evening," said mr. holbrook.
"thank you, sir," said jed, and walked away.
"who is that boy?" asked the spinster[pg 148] abruptly, looking at him through her eyeglasses.
"he is in charge of chester while i am in the city."
"why, he is only a boy!"
"is that against him?"
"i thought chester had a nurse."
"so he did, but she proved dishonest."
"then why didn't you engage another?"
"because chester felt sensitive about having a girl following him. the other boys in the hotel laughed at him."
"let them laugh!" said miss holbrook severely. "are you to have your plans changed by a set of graceless boys?"
"as to that, maria, i find this boy more satisfactory, both to chester and myself."
"humph! what is his name?"
"jed."
"a very plebeian name."
"it isn't exactly fashionable, but names are not important."
"i beg your pardon. i think names are important."
"perhaps that is the reason you have never[pg 149] changed yours, maria. you might have been mrs. boggs if you had been less particular."
"i would rather remain unmarried all my life. but where did you pick up this boy?"
"i met him in the hotel."
"was he boarding here?"
"no; i think he was boarding somewhere in the village."
"do you know anything of his family?"
"no."
"do you know anything of his antecedents?" continued miss holbrook.
"yes; he played a part last season in the 'gold king.'"
"heavens and earth!" ejaculated the spinster, holding up her hands in horror. "do you mean to tell me that you have placed your son in the charge of a young play actor?"
mr. holbrook laughed.
"why not?"
"i am surprised that you should ask. you know as well as i do the character of actors."
"i know that some of them are very estimable gentlemen. as to jed, he has not been long on the stage, i believe."
[pg 150]
"do you know anything of his family? is he respectably connected?"
"i didn't think it important to inquire. it seems to me that the boy's own character is much more to the point. i have found jed faithful and reliable, without bad habits, and i feel that chester is safe in his hands."
"oh you men, you men!" exclaimed miss holbrook. "you don't seem to have any judgment."
"i suppose," said mr. holbrook with good-natured sarcasm, "that all the good judgment is monopolized by the old maids. what a pity they have no children to bring up."
"brother!" said miss holbrook in a freezing tone.
"i beg your pardon, maria, but please credit me with a little good sense."
miss holbrook went up to the room assigned her with an offended expression, and had nothing further to say about jed that evening.
the next morning jed reported for duty just as mr. holbrook was leaving for his journey.
"look after chester while i am gone, jed,"[pg 151] said mr. holbrook pleasantly. "this is my sister, miss maria holbrook, who will take my place here while i am gone."
jed took off his hat politely, and miss holbrook honored him with a slight inclination of her head and a forbidding look.
"good-by, maria! i will telegraph you on my arrival in chicago."
"good-by, brother! you need have no apprehensions about chester while i am here."
"i shall rest quite easy. between you and jed i am sure he will come to no harm."
miss holbrook pursed up her mouth at the conjunction of her name with jed's, but said nothing.
"shall i go and take a walk with jed?" asked chester.
"yes, in a moment. i wish to speak to the young man first."
"what young man?"
"jedediah."
"jedediah!" echoed chester with a merry laugh. "how funny that sounds!"
"i apprehend that jedediah is your right name," said miss holbrook severely.
[pg 152]
"i suppose so," answered jed.
"you suppose so?"
"i mean that i have always been called jed. i don't remember ever having been called by the full name."
"don't your parents call you so?"
"my parents are not living."
"when did they die?"
jed looked troubled.
"when i was a baby," he answered gravely.
"indeed! then who brought you up?"
"mr. and mrs. avery."
"were they any relations of yours?"
"no, but they were very kind to me."
"come along, jed! there's the steamboat just leaving the pier!" called chester impatiently.
without waiting to be further questioned jed answered the call of his young charge. he was glad to get away, for he felt that the spinster might ask him some questions which he would find it difficult to answer.
