CHAPTER XXII.

JOHN CRANDALL SEEKS TO INJURE ANDY

Though Simon Rich had succeeded in reinstating his nephew in the store in place of Andy, he was not altogether happy.  John Crandall was naturally lazy and inefficient, and his temporary discharge did not seem to have improved him.

When sent out on errands he loitered, and had more than once put his uncle to considerable inconvenience.  He obliged to admit to himself that Andy had been more satisfactory.

In the midst of this experience John preferred a request to have his salary raised a dollar a week.

“You know very well that I have no authority to raise your wages,” said his uncle, sharply.

“Why not, Uncle Simon?  You have taken me back on your own authority.”

“And I begin to think that I have made a great mistake.”

“Perhaps you’d like to have the country boy back again?”

“I am not sure but I would.  He did not stay away so long on errands as you do.”

“I wonder what he is doing?” said John, starting off on a new tack.  “I don’t suppose he can get a new place.”

“If you see him, you might ask him to call,” said Simon Rich.

“Why?” asked John, suspiciously.

“I may discharge you and take him back.”

“In that case, I will tell Mr. Flint about pawning the watch.”

Simon Rich looked at his nephew with anger, mingled with dismay.  He began to see, now, that to a certain extent he had put himself in John’s power.

“You treacherous young rascal, I have a great mind to wring your neck!” he said, wrathfully.

“Uncle Simon,” observed John, significantly, “I guess you’d better not act hastily.”

“What a fool I was to put myself in the power of that cub!” soliloquized the head salesman.

John saw the effect of his words and decided to follow them up.

“Don’t you think you can raise my wages?” he asked.

“No, I don’t.  You will be lucky if you stay here till Mr. Flint comes back.  After that, I can’t protect you.  He will probably be angry to see you back here.  I shall have to tell him that I took you in temporarily.  Now I will give you some advice.  If you want to remain here permanently, turn over a new leaf, and work faithfully.  In that case I can speak well of you, and Mr. Flint may be induced to retain you.”

John began to think that this might be good advice, and for a day or two paid more attention to his duties.

“I wonder I don’t see Andy somewhere,” he said to himself.

“I am out a good deal, and I ought to meet him.  He is probably hunting up positions.”

It was not till Tuesday afternoon that he did see him.  Andy had been sent to the St. Denis Hotel to meet a customer of the firm.  As he came out he fell in with John.

John was the first to see him.