The Tin Box, and What it Contained

"Why don't you suggest to your paternal relative to enlarge thesupplies?" suggested Congreve, knocking off the ashes from his cigar.

"I have," answered Philip, "and he always says that a dollar a week isenough for a boy of my age."

"Parents are apt to have limited ideas on such subjects. That was thecase with my father."

"What did you do?"

"Do? I borrowed from him."

"How could you do that? Was he willing?"

"He didn't know it."

"Didn't know that you borrowed money of him?"

"No. You are an only child, are you not?"

"Yes."

"So am I. You will be sole heir to your father's property, won't you?"

"Of course," answered Philip, with an air of consequence.

"Then, really, the property may be considered yours now – at least inpart."

"I suppose so."

"That's the way I look at it. Well, I happened to know where my fatherkept his government bonds, and I borrowed one."

"Wasn't that stealing?" asked Philip.

"It would have been if the bond had belonged to a stranger, but, as itwas likely to be mine some day, of course, that made it different."

"What did your father say?" asked Philip, anxiously.

"Oh, he made a fuss; but the bond wasn't registered, and he hadn't amemorandum of the number, so he couldn't do anything. I sold it througha friend, and while the money lasted I was in clover."

"My father has got some government bonds," said Philip; "but I shouldn'tdare to take one, although, as you say, they will be mine some day."

"Suppose your father did find it out – which is not at all likely – youare his son, and you could tell him plainly that your small allowancecompelled you to do it."

"I shouldn't know how to dispose of the bond, if I did take one."

"Oh, I would manage that for you! That is the only thing there would beany risk about; but you are a friend of mine."

"Yes, I know you are a good friend," said foolish Philip, who, it isneedless to say, could hardly have had a worse enemy than the one whooffered him such bad advice.

"So I am, but I don't take any credit for that," answered wily Congreve. "People are apt to deceive themselves about such things, you know, as ason's appropriating what really belongs to him; but I know the worldbetter than you, and understand how to look at things."

"It may be as you say," said Philip, growing nervous at the idea ofrobbing his father, "but I don't think I like the plan."

"Oh, very well; I only suggested it for your good," said Congreve, preparing to draw the net around his victim.

"If you have any other way of paying me the twenty-three dollars you oweme, it's all the same to me."

"But I thought," said Philip, in alarm, "that you were in no hurry aboutit. You said I might win it back."

"So you may, and probably will; but if you don't you ought to pay it."

"I will, sometime."

"I really should be glad if I could wait till then, but, as it happens,

I have pressing need of the money."

"But if I can't pay it?"

"Then I shall feel obliged to call on your father, and ask him to payme."

"You wouldn't do that!" said Philip, panic-stricken.

"I shall feel obliged to. It is only a trifle, and he will probably payit, giving you a little lecture, perhaps, but nothing worse."

"You don't know him," said Philip, uncomfortably. "He will be awful mad. He had a cousin who was a gambler, and he has often warned me againstgambling."

"I don't approve of gambling myself," said Congreve; "but there is adifference between that and a little stake on a game of cards to make itinteresting."

"I don't think father would see any difference," suggested Philip, whodid not himself understand what difference there could be.

It is hardly necessary to say to my young readers that common sense isthe best teacher in such matters, and that no difference appears tocommon sense between gambling at cards and gambling in any other form.

"Oh, well, you know best about that. Then it would be better that Ishouldn't say anything to the old man?"

"No; don't say anything to him about it," said Philip, eagerly.

"I won't – that is, if you pay me the money in three days."

"But how can I do it?" asked Philip, in fresh dismay.

"Put a bond in my hands, then, and I will dispose of it and give you thebalance. You only owe me twenty-three dollars, and a fifty-dollar bondwould leave you a handsome surplus. If it were a hundred-dollar bond itwould be all the better. Think of having seventy-five dollars or more atyour command."

The prospect was tantalizing, but Philip still felt afraid toappropriate one of his father's bonds. If it had been a fear of doingwrong, I should be glad to say so, but it was more a fear ofconsequences.

"After all," he said, "perhaps I may win it back, and then there won'tbe any need of raising money. You said you would give me the chance."

"So I will. You can come to my room now, if you like, and try yourluck."

So Philip went, like a fly into the spider's parlor, and the naturalresult followed.