By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War Read online

  CHAPTER VII: AN OLD FRIEND

  For three months Frank passed a quiet and not unpleasant life with theold naturalist in Ratcliff Highway. The latter took a great liking tohim, and treated him like a son rather than an assistant. The two tooktheir meals together now, and Frank's salary had been raised from twelveto eighteen shillings a week. So attractive had the cases in the windowsproved that quite a little crowd was generally collected round them, andthe business had greatly augmented. The old naturalist was less pleasedat this change than most men would have been in his position. He had gotinto a groove and did not care to get out of it. He had no relatives orany one dependent on him, and he had been well content to go on in a jogtrot way, just paying his expenses of shop and living. The extra bustleand push worried rather than pleased him.

  "I am an old man," he said to Frank one day, as after the shop wasclosed they sat over their tea. "I have no motive in laying by money,and had enough for my wants. I was influenced more by my liking foryour face and my appreciation of your talent, than by any desire ofincreasing my business. I am taking now three times as much as I didbefore. Now I should not mind, indeed, I should be glad, if I thoughtthat you would succeed me here as a son would do. I would gladly takeyou into partnership with me, and you would have the whole businessafter my death. But I know, my boy, that it wouldn't do. I know that thetime will come when you will not be content with so dull a life here.You will either get an offer from some West End house which would openhigher prospects to you, or you will be wandering away as a collector.In any case you would not stop here, of that I am quite sure, andtherefore do not care, as I should have done, had you been my son, forthe increase of the business. As it is, lad, I could not even wish tosee you waste your life here."

  Frank, after he was once fairly settled at his new work, had writtento his friend the doctor, at Deal, telling him of the position he hadtaken, and that he was in a fair way to make at least a comfortableliving, and that at a pursuit of which he was passionately fond. Heasked him, however, while writing to him from time to time to give himnews of his sister, not to tell any one his address, as although he wasnot ashamed of his berth, still he would rather that, until he had madeanother step up in life, his old schoolfellows should not know of hiswhereabouts. He had also written to his friend Ruthven a bright chattyletter, telling him somewhat of his adventures in London and the loss ofhis money, and saying that he had now got employment at a naturalist's,with every chance of making his way.

  "When I mount a bit higher," he concluded, "I shall be awfully glad tosee you again, and will let you know what my address may then be.For the present I had rather keep it dark. If you will write to me,addressed to the General Post Office, telling me all about yourself andthe fellows at school, I shall be very, very glad to get your letter. Isuppose you will be breaking up for Christmas in a few days."

  Christmas came and went. It was signalized to Frank only by the despatchof a pretty present to Lucy, and the receipt of a letter from herwritten in a round childish hand. A week afterwards he heard somebodycome into the shop. His employer was out, and he therefore went into theshop.

  "I knew it was!" shouted a voice. "My dear old Frank, how are you?" andhis hand was warmly clasped in that of Ruthven.

  "My dear Ruthven," was all Frank could say.

  "I had intended," Ruthven exclaimed, "to punch your head directly Ifound you; but I am too glad to do it, though you deserve it fifty timesover. What a fellow you are! I wouldn't have believed it of you, runningaway in that secret sort of way and letting none of us know anythingabout you. Wasn't I angry, and sorry too, when I got the letter youwrote me from Deal! When I went back to school and found that not evenDr. Parker, not even your sister, knew where you were, I was mad. Sowere all the other fellows. However, I said I would find you whereveryou had hidden yourself."

  "But how did you find me?" Frank asked greatly moved at the warmth ofhis schoolfellow's greeting.

  "Oh! it wasn't so very difficult to find you when once I got your lettersaying what you were doing. The very day I came up to town I beganto hunt about. I found from the Directory there were not such a greatnumber of shops where they stuffed birds and that sort of thing. I triedthe places in Bond Street, and Piccadilly, and Wigmore Street, and so onto begin with. Then I began to work east, and directly I saw the thingsin the window here I felt sure I had found you at last. You tiresomefellow! Here I have wasted nearly half my holidays looking for you."

  "I am so sorry, Ruthven."

  "Sorry! you ought to be more than sorry. You ought to be ashamed ofyourself, downright ashamed. But, there, I won't say any more now. Now,can't you come out with me?"

  "No, I can't come out now, Ruthven; but come into this room with me."

  There for the next hour they chatted, Frank giving a full account of allhe had gone through since he came up to town, while Ruthven gave him thegossip of the half year at school.

  "Well," Ruthven said at last, "this old Horton of yours must be a brick.Still, you know, you can't stop here all your life. You must come andtalk it over with my governor."

  "Oh, no, indeed, Ruthven! I am getting on very well here, and am verycontented with my lot, and I could not think of troubling your father inthe matter."

  "Well, you will trouble him a great deal," Ruthven said, "if you don'tcome, for you will trouble him to come all the way down here. He wasquite worried when he first heard of your disappearance, and has beenalmost as excited as I have over the search for you.

  "You are really a foolish fellow, Frank," he went on more seriously; "Ireally didn't think it of you. Here you save the lives of four or fivefellows and put all their friends under a tremendous obligation, andthen you run away and hide yourself as if you were ashamed. I tell youyou can't do it. A fellow has no more right to get rid of obligationsthan he has to run away without paying his debts. It would be a burdenon your mind if you had a heavy debt you couldn't pay, and you wouldhave a right to be angry if, when you were perfectly able to pay, yourcreditor refused to take the money. That's just the position in whichyou've placed my father. Well, anyhow, you've got to come and see him,or he's got to come and see you. I know he has something in his mind'seye which will just suit you, though he did not tell me what it was. Forthe last day or two he has been particularly anxious about finding you.Only yesterday when I came back and reported that I had been to half adozen places without success, he said, 'Confound the young rascal, wherecan he be hiding? Here are the days slipping by and it will be too late.If you don't find him in a day or two, Dick, I will set the police afterhim--say he has committed a murder or broken into a bank and offer areward for his apprehension.' So you must either come home with me thisafternoon, or you will be having my father down here tonight."

  "Of course, Ruthven," Frank said, "I would not put your father to suchtrouble. He is very kind to have taken so much interest in me, only Ihate--"

  "Oh, nonsense! I hate to see such beastly stuck up pride, putting yourown dignity above the affection of your friends; for that's really whatit comes to, old boy, if you look it fairly in the face."

  Frank flushed a little and was silent for a minute or two.

  "I suppose you are right, Ruthven; but it is a little hard for afellow--"

  "Oh, no, it isn't," Ruthven said. "If you'd got into a scrape from somefault of your own one could understand it, although even then therewould be no reason for you to cut your old friends till they cut you.Young Goodall, who lives over at Bayswater, has been over four or fivetimes to ask me if I have succeeded in finding you, and I have hadletters from Handcock, and Childers, and Jackson. Just as if a fellowhad got nothing to do but to write letters. How long will you be beforeyou can come out?"

  "There is Mr. Horton just come in," Frank said. "I have no doubt he willlet me go at once."

  The old naturalist at once assented upon Frank's telling him that afriend had come who wished him to go out.

  "Certainly, my dear boy. Why, working the hours and hours of overtimethat you d
o, of course you can take a holiday whenever you're disposed."

  "He will not be back till late," Ruthven said as they went out. "I shallkeep him all the evening."

  "Oh, indeed, Ruthven, I have no clothes!"

  "Clothes be bothered," Ruthven said. "I certainly shall end by punchingyour head, Frank, before the day's out."

  Frank remonstrated no more, but committed himself entirely to hisfriend's guidance. At the Mansion House they mounted on the roof of anomnibus going west, and at Knightsbridge got off and walked to EatonSquare, where Ruthven's father resided. The latter was out, so Frankaccompanied his friend to what he called his sanctum, a small roomlittered up with books, bats, insect boxes, and a great variety ofrubbish of all kinds. Here they chatted until the servant came up andsaid that Sir James had returned.

  "Come on, Frank," Ruthven said, running downstairs. "There's nothing ofthe ogre about the governor."

  They entered the study, and Ruthven introduced his friend.

  "I've caught him, father, at last. This is the culprit."

  Sir James Ruthven was a pleasant looking man, with a kindly face.

  "Well, you troublesome boy," he said, holding out his hand, "where haveyou been hiding all this time?"

  "I don't know that I've been hiding, sir," Frank said.

  "Not exactly hiding," Sir James smiled, "only keeping away from thosewho wanted to find you. Well, and how are you getting on?"

  "I am getting on very well, sir. I am earning eighteen shillings a weekand my board and lodging, and my employer says he will take me intopartnership as soon as I come of age."

  "Ah, indeed!" Sir James said. "I am glad to hear that, as it shows youmust be clever and industrious."

  "Yes, father, and the place was full of the most lovely cases of thingsFrank had stuffed. There was quite a crowd looking in at the window."

  "That is very satisfactory. Now, Frank, do you sit down and write anote to your employer, asking him to send down half a dozen of the bestcases. I want to show them to a gentleman who will dine with me heretoday, and who is greatly interested in such matters. When you havewritten the note I will send a servant off at once in a cab to fetchthem."

  "And, father," Dick continued, "if you don't mind, might Frank and Ihave our dinner quietly together in my room? You've got a dinner partyon, and Frank won't enjoy it half as much as he would dining quietlywith me."

  "By all means," Sir James said. "But mind he is not to run away withoutseeing me.

  "You are a foolish lad," he went on in a kind voice to Frank; "and itwas wrong as well as foolish to hide yourself from your friends. Howeverindependent we may be in this world, all must, to a certain extent, relyupon others. There is scarcely a man who can stand aloof from the restand say, 'I want nothing of you.' I can understand your feeling inshrinking from asking a favor of me, or of the fathers of the other boyswho are, like myself, deeply indebted to you for the great service youhave rendered their sons. I can admire the feeling if not carried toofar; but you should have let your schoolfellows know exactly how youwere placed, and so have given us the opportunity of repaying theobligation if we were disposed, not to have run away and hidden yourselffrom us."

  "I am sorry, sir," Frank said simply. "I did not like to seem to tradeupon the slight service I rendered some of my schoolfellows. Dr. Batemantold me I was wrong, but I did not see it then. Now I think, perhaps hewas right, although I am afraid that if it happened again I should dothe same."

  Sir James smiled.

  "I fear you are a stiff necked one, Master Frank. However, I will notscold you any further. Now, what will you do with yourselves till dinnertime?"

  "Oh, we'll just sit and chat, father. We have got lots more things totell each other."

  The afternoon passed in pleasant talk. Frank learned that Ruthven hadnow left Dr. Parker's for good, and that he was going down after theholidays to a clergyman who prepared six or eight boys for the army.Before dinner the footman returned with half a dozen of the best casesfrom the shop, which were brought up to Dick's room, and the latter wasdelighted with them. They greatly enjoyed their dinner together. At nineo'clock a servant came up and took down the cases. Five minutes later hereturned again with a message, saying that Sir James wished Mr. Richardand his friend to go down into the dining room. Frank was not shy, buthe felt it rather a trial when he entered the room, where seven oreight gentlemen were sitting round the table, the ladies having alreadywithdrawn. The gentlemen were engaged in examining and admiring thecases of stuffed birds and animals.

  "This is my young friend," Sir James said, "of whom I have been speakingto you, and whose work you are all admiring. This, Frank, is Mr.Goodenough, the traveler and naturalist, of whom you may have heard."

  "Yes, indeed," Frank said, looking at the gentleman indicated. "I haveMr. Goodenough's book on The Passerine Family at home."

  "It is rather an expensive book too," the gentleman said.

  "Yes, sir. My father bought it, not I. He was very fond of naturalhistory and taught me all I know. He had a capital library of books onthe subject, which Dr. Bateman is keeping for me, at Deal, till I havesome place where I can put them. I was thinking of getting them upsoon."

  Mr. Goodenough asked him a few questions as to the books in the library,and then put him through what Frank felt was a sort of examination, asto his knowledge of their contents.

  "Very good indeed!" Mr. Goodenough said. "I can see from your work herethat you are not only a very clever preparer, but a close student ofthe habits and ways of wild creatures. But I was hardly prepared tofind your scientific knowledge so accurate and extensive. I was at firstrather inclined to hesitate when Sir James Ruthven made me a proposaljust now. I do so no longer. I am on the point of starting on anexpedition into the center of Africa in search of specimens of naturalhistory. He has proposed that you should accompany me, and has offeredto defray the cost of your outfit, and of your passage out and home. Imay be away for two years. Of course you would act as my assistant, andhave every opportunity of acquiring such knowledge as I possess. Itwill be no pleasure trip, you know, but hard work, with all sorts ofhardships and, perhaps, some dangers. At the same time it would be afine opening in a career as a naturalist. Well, what do you say?"

  "Oh, sir!" Frank exclaimed, clasping his hands, "it is of all things inthe world what I should like most. How can I thank you enough? And you,Sir James, it is indeed kind and thoughtful of you."

  "We are not quits yet by any means, Frank," Sir James said kindly. "Iam glad indeed to be able to forward your wishes; and now you must goupstairs and be introduced to my wife. She is most anxious to see you.She only returned home just before dinner."

  Frank was taken upstairs, where he and his cases of birds were mademuch of by Lady Ruthven and the ladies assembled in the drawing room.He himself was so filled with delight at the prospect opened to him thatall thought of his dark tweed suit being out of place among the eveningdresses of the ladies and gentlemen, which had troubled him while he wasawaiting the summons to the dining room, quite passed out of his mind,and he was able to do the honors of his cases naturally and withoutembarrassment. At eleven o'clock he took his leave, promising to callupon Mr. Goodenough, who was in lodgings in Jermyn Street, uponthe following morning, that gentleman having at Sir James' requestundertaken to procure all the necessary outfit.

  "I feel really obliged to you, Sir James," Mr. Goodenough said whenFrank had left. "The lad has a genius for natural history, and he ismodest and self possessed. From what you tell me he has done ratherthan apply for assistance to anyone, he must have plenty of pluck andresolution, and will make a capital traveling companion. I feel quiterelieved, for it is so difficult to procure a companion who will exactlysuit. Clever naturalists are rare, and one can never tell how one willget on with a man when you are thrown together. He may want to have hisown way, may be irritable and bad tempered, may in many respects be adisagreeable companion. With that lad I feel sure of my ground. We shallget on capitally together."


  On his return to the shop Frank told his employer, whom he found sittingup for him, the change which had taken place in his life, and theopening which presented itself.

  Mr. Horton expressed himself as sincerely glad.

  "I shall miss you sadly," he said, "shall feel very dull for a time inmy solitary house here; but it is better for you that you should go, andI never expected to keep you long. You were made for better things thanthis shop, and I have no doubt that a brilliant career will be openbefore you. You may not become a rich man, for natural history isscarcely a lucrative profession, but you may become a famous one. Now,my lad, go off to bed and dream of your future."

  The next morning Frank went over, the first thing after breakfast, tosee his friend the porter. He, too, was very pleased to hear of Frank'sgood fortune, but he was too busy to talk much to him, and promised thathe would come over that evening and hear all about it. Then Frank tookhis way to Jermyn Street, and went with Mr. Goodenough to Silver's,where an outfit suited for the climate of Central Africa wasordered. The clothes were simple. Shirts made of thin soft flannel,knickerbockers and Norfolk jackets of tough New Zealand flax, withgaiters of the same material.

  "There is nothing like it," Mr. Goodenough said; "it is the only stuffwhich has a chance with the thorns of an African forest. Now you willwant a revolver, a Winchester repeating carbine, and a shotgun. Myoutfit of boxes and cases is ready, so beyond two or three extra netsand collecting boxes there is nothing farther to do in that way. Foryour head you'd better have a very soft felt hat with a wide brim; witha leaf or two inside they are as cool as anything, and are far lighterand more comfortable than the helmets which many people use in thetropics."

  "As far as shooting goes," Frank said, "I think that I shall do muchbetter with my blowgun than with a regular one. I can hit a small birdsitting nineteen times out of twenty."

  "That is a good thing," Mr. Goodenough answered. "For shooting sittingthere is nothing better than a blowgun in skillful hands. They havethe advantage too of not breaking the skin; but for flying a shotgun isinfinitely more accurate. You will have little difficulty in learning toshoot well, as your eye is already trained by the use of your blowpipe.Will you want any knives for skinning?"

  "No, sir. I have a plentiful stock of them."

  "Are you going back to Eaton Square? I heard Sir James ask you to stopthere until we start."

  "No," Frank replied; "I asked his permission to stay where I am tilltomorrow. I did not like to seem in a hurry to run away from Mr. Horton,who has been extremely kind to me."

  "Mind, you must come here in three days to have your things tried on,"Mr. Goodenough said. "I particularly ordered that they are to be madeeasy and comfortable, larger, indeed, than you absolutely require, butwe must allow for growing, and two years may make a difference of someinches to you. Now, we have only to go to a bootmaker's and then we havedone."

  When the orders were completed they separated, as Mr. Goodenough wasgoing down that afternoon to the country, and was not to return untilthe day preceding that on which they were to sail. That evening Frankhad a long chat with his two friends, and was much pleased when the oldnaturalist, who had taken a great fancy to the honest porter, offeredhim the use of a room at his house, saying that he should be morethan paid by the pleasure of his company of an evening. The offer wasaccepted, and Frank was glad to think that his two friends would besitting smoking their pipes together of an evening instead of being intheir solitary rooms. The next day he took up his residence in Eatonsquare.