So the boy contented himself
with the sum promised.
"Thank you, sir," he said, as he slipped the bill
into his vest pocket. "Do you want some supper?"
"No, I want to sleep."
"Then you had better lie down on the bed.
Will you undress?"
"No; too much trouble."
Mr. Stark rose from the armchair, and,
lurching round to the bed, flung himself on it.
"I suppose you don't want me any longer,"
said Leonard.
"No. Come round to-morrer."
"Yes, sir."
Leonard opened the door and left the room.
He resolved to keep the appointment, and come
round the next day. Who knew but some more
of Mr. Stark's money might come into his
hands? Grown man as he was, he seemed to
need a guardian, and Leonard was willing to
act as such--for a consideration.
"It's been a queer adventure!" thought Leonard,
as he slowly bent his steps towards his uncle's
house. "I've made a dollar out of it, anyway,
and if he hadn't happened to wake up
just as he did I might have done better.
However, it may turn out as well in the end."
"You are rather late, Leonard," said his uncle,
in a tone that betrayed some irritation.
"I wanted to send you on an errand, and you
are always out of the way at such a time."
"I'll go now," said Leonard, with unusual
amiability. "I've had a little adventure."
"An adventure! What is it?" Mr. Gibbon
asked, with curiosity.
Leonard proceeded to give an account of his
finding the inebriate in the meadow, and his
guiding him to the hotel. It may readily be
supposed that he said nothing of his attempt
to appropriate a part of the contents of the wallet.
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