Bear and forbear

I slept soundly enough that night, in spite of my anxiety concerning the perilous condition of the relations between the two sides of the lake. In the morning I called upon Tom Walton. His wound was doing very well, and he was quite comfortable. He was astonished when I told him that Nick Van Wolter was the other bank robber, and that he was Lord Palsgrave. But I was in a hurry to see Major Toppleton, and I could not stay long, though I gave Tom a bill of sale of the Belle, and received the payment for her.

I found the magnate of Middleport at home, and of course I had to tell him all about the bank robbers before anything could be said, though I had become rather tired of the subject, especially with another and more interesting one uppermost in my mind.

“You had a breezy time of it, Wolf,” said the major.

“Rather exciting, sir.”

“Where was Colonel Wimpleton all day? I could not find him.”

“He was at Ucayga, looking up the money to pay a note which came due yesterday.”

“Precisely so; he came over to see me about it in the morning. He was in a tremendous hurry, and very much excited about the robbery,” added the major.

“He was excited about something else when I saw him.”

“You don’t mean—”

“O, no, sir,” I promptly interposed, when I saw that he supposed the magnate of Centreport had been drinking again. “Nothing of that kind.”

“You understand me. Well, I am glad that he has not fallen back. Your remark startled me, Wolf.”

“I am afraid the colonel is not as kindly disposed towards you as formerly.”

“Why, what’s the matter?” demanded the major, evidently alarmed at my suggestion.

“I think there is a misunderstanding. He came over to see you yesterday morning, and he thought you were not inclined to assist him in the emergency.”

“What an idea! I intended that his note should be paid, even if my own was not, though I hurried home to attend to the payment of it. This is very strange,” mused the major. “I was not aware that I said or did anything that could give offence to him.”

“I am confident there has been a mistake; but I do not know that I ought to repeat anything he said to me.”

“In the interest of peace and friendship you may do so, Wolf. What did he say?” asked the major, anxiously.

“He said that when he informed you he had a note of twenty thousand dollars to pay, and that the bank had been robbed, instead of helping him out, you answered that you had a note to pay yourself.”

“I certainly did tell him that I had a large sum to pay; but I also told him that I would see what could be done. I invited him to breakfast with me, and told him I would go and see the cashier of our bank. I did not suppose he had any doubt of my willingness to help him; and the only question with me was, how it was to be done. He was in a desperate hurry, and could not wait a minute. The steamer was coming over after him, before she went up the lake in pursuit of the robber. I told him then that I would see him on the wharf in ten or fifteen minutes, and hastened to find the cashier. He was not at home; but I soon found him, and learned that the funds in our bank were not sufficient to pay both notes. I immediately decided to raise the amount needed to pay the colonel’s note, in Ucayga. I sent an order to Lewis Holgate to get up steam on the dummy, and then went as fast as I could walk to the wharf. The steamer was just leaving the pier when I came in sight of it.”

“The colonel waited for you till the time expired,” I added.

“I was not five minutes behind time. The absence of the cashier had detained me a little, but I could not help it. However, I supposed the colonel would return before eleven o’clock to raise the money to pay his note.”

“He was very much excited about it.”

“I am really very sorry. Perhaps I did not speak as explicitly as I ought to have done; but it never occurred to me that he would misunderstand my motives. The dummy ran down to Hitaca as a special express to convey me. I raised the money, and returned by the ten o’clock train. The steamer had come back from up the lake; but I could not find Colonel Wimpleton. In the afternoon I heard that he had gone to Ucayga, and I was on the lookout for him till the last train arrived. The money has been in our bank since eleven o’clock yesterday, and I have a check for the amount in my pocket now.”

“The colonel was rather too hasty in his conclusions. The steamer returned to Middleport at ten, and he took the train for Ucayga, where he raised the money and paid the note himself.”

“I regret that he has any feeling on the subject,” added the major, with much anxiety. “I must go over and see him.”

“I am afraid your meeting will not be a pleasant one.”

“I will state the facts just as they are, and I hope he will see that there has been a mistake. The Ucayga is coming in, and the ferry steamer will start in a few minutes.”

We walked down to the wharf together. My two bears had just been landed from the steamer, in charge of one of Captain Portman’s men. They were very tractable, and were the centre of attraction on the wharf. They were willing to shake hands with everybody, and seemed to be enjoying themselves very much. I took charge of one of them, while the man retained the other, and we led them towards my father’s house, followed by a large escort of loafers and juveniles. We had a small barn on the place, in which we secured the bears.

My sisters were very much afraid of them, and my mother declared she could not have the brutes on the place; but I hoped all of them would think better of it, and make friends with my pets. After the man had gone, I brought out my carpenter’s tools, and proceeded to fit up the barn for the accommodation of the bears. The animals were so full of fun they would not let me work, and I was obliged to tie them to a tree in the garden. My mother and my sisters stood at the windows of the house watching them; but I could not induce them to make the acquaintance of my new friends. When I found that my sisters were really afraid of the bears, I was rather sorry I had brought them home.

While I was at work I was surprised by a visit from Colonel Wimpleton and Waddie. As they entered the yard, both bears stood up, and offered to shake hands with the visitors. Waddie accepted the proffered paw, but the colonel was more particular in the choice of his acquaintances.

“Have you seen Major Toppleton this morning?” I inquired of the colonel.

“No; and I have no desire to see him,” replied the magnate, coldly.

“He went over to see you about nine o’ clock.”

“I was not at home. Have you done anything about the steamer, Wolf?”

“No, sir. What do you wish to have done?”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday what I wished to have done?”

“I haven’t done anything yet, sir.”

“I told you to make the new arrangement.”

“I hope you will see Major Toppleton before anything is done.”

“I shall not see him,” answered the colonel, sourly. “You may notify the Railroad Company that the present arrangement will be discontinued, say from the first of next month.”

“Of course I shall do as I am directed, but I am quite sure there is a misunderstanding between you and the major.”

“I don’t care to argue the matter. What are you going to do with these bears, Wolf?”

“I’m going to keep them as pets.”

At this moment the one which had frightened Miss Dornwood stood up, and expressed a desire to shake hands with Colonel Wimpleton.

“They are perfectly harmless, sir,” said I, seeing that the great man was in doubt.

“Won’t they bite?”

“No, sir.”

Thus assured the colonel took the offered paw of the bear, and in a few moments they were excellent friends, for Bruin’s ways were very winning. Waddie was playing with the other, and both my visitors were very much interested in the animals. While they were occupied in this manner, Major Toppleton presented himself in the yard.

“Good morning, colonel,” said the major.

“Good morning,” replied the magnate of Centreport, very stiffly.

“I heard you were here, colonel, and I came up to see you. I looked for you all day yesterday, and have been looking for you all the morning.”

“Sorry you gave yourself so much trouble.”

I saw that Major Toppleton was nettled at the coldness of his reception, and I was afraid he would be angry. As he approached the bears, both of them rose and offered their accustomed greeting. The major shook hands with both of them, for he had already made their acquaintance on the wharf.

“When I went down to the wharf yesterday, your steamer had been gone only a few moments,” continued the magnate of Middleport. “I was sorry that I missed you.”

“It didn’t make any difference,” said the colonel. “You will attend to the matter of which I spoke to you, Wolf,” he added, edging off towards the gate.

“Perhaps it didn’t make any difference to you, but it did to me,” continued the major. “I am afraid I did not, in the excitement of the moment, express myself as clearly as I should have done.”

“As clearly as was necessary. I understood you perfectly,” replied the colonel, still edging towards the gate.

“Then you understood that I intended to raise the money you wanted.”

“No, I did not. You told me you had a note to pay yourself, and that was as much as to say you could do nothing for me.”

“There was, indeed, a mistake then; and I am very sorry that I did not express myself more clearly.”

“I paid my note, and nothing more need be said about the matter,” growled Colonel Wimpleton.

“My dear colonel—”

“Don’t ‘dear’ me after this.”

I trembled for the major when this rude remark was uttered, for his temper was not always to be depended upon, and certainly the provocation was very strong. I never saw a better opportunity to get up a quarrel, and nothing but a little forbearance on the part of the only one of the two who seemed to be capable of exercising this virtue could ward off the calamity. The colonel was unreasonable; but the major felt that he had not plainly stated his intentions. As usual, there was blame on both sides.