Chester Rand Part 49

"You can say that I supervised the ill.u.s.trations," answered Arthur, demurely.

"I am afraid you will have to wait till you are better ent.i.tled to credit."

"Now, that's mean, Uncle Edgar. I know how I'll get even with you."

"How?"

"I will write a rival book, and get Chester to ill.u.s.trate it better than yours."

"It would need better ill.u.s.trations, since there would be nothing else in the work worthy of attention."

"Your uncle has got you there," said Chester.

"You'll ill.u.s.trate my book, won't you?"

"Certainly; that is, if I can depend on prompt payment."

Chester and Arthur Burks were fast friends. Arthur did not shine in scholarship, but he was fond of fun, and was a warm-hearted and pleasant companion, and a true friend.

One afternoon he called on Chester at his room.

"I bring you an invitation to dinner," he said. "Uncle has a friend from Oregon visiting him, and as he is an interesting talker, you will enjoy meeting him. I believe he is a professor in Williamette University."

"Thank you, Arthur; I shall be very glad to come."

"Come with me now, if you have got through your day's work. You can have a little scientific conversation before dinner."

"It will be the science of baseball and tennis, I suspect, Arthur."

"No doubt you will find me very instructive."

"You always are, Arthur."

"Thank you. I like to be appreciated by somebody."

At the dinner table Chester was introduced to Prof. Nugent.

"This is Chester Rand, the young artist who is ill.u.s.trating my ethnological work, brother Nugent," said Prof. Hazlitt.

"What--this boy?" Prof. Nugent exclaimed, in a tone of surprise.

"Yes. Boy as he is, he is a salaried contributor to _The Phoenix_."

"You surprise me. How old are you, Mr. Rand?"

"Sixteen."

"I suppose you began your art education early?"

Chester smiled.

"No, sir," he answered. "Four months ago I was the boy in a country grocery store."

"This is wonderful. I shall subscribe to _The Phoenix_ before I go back to my Western home."

"I am afraid, sir, it will be too light to suit your taste."

"My dear young friend, don't suppose I am always grave. What says the Latin poet:

"_'Dulce est desipere in loco.'_

"If you don't understand it, probably Arthur can enlighten you."

"What does it mean, Arthur?"

"It means, 'When all your serious work is done, 'tis best to have a little fun,'" answered Arthur, promptly.

"Bravo, Arthur," said Prof. Nugent, clapping his hands. "So we have a young poet as well as a young artist here."

"Oh, yes," answered Arthur. "I'm pretty smart, but few people find it out."

"You'd better ask the professor about Tacoma," suggested Arthur, during a pause in the conversation.

CHAPTER XXIX.

MR. FAIRCHILD'S TELEGRAM.

"Tacoma!" repeated the professor. "Who is interested in Tacoma?"

"I own five lots of land there," answered Chester.

"Then I congratulate you. Lots are rising there, and are destined to go to a still higher point."

"How do you account for that?" asked Prof. Hazlitt.

"In three months the Northern Pacific Railroad will be completed, and that will give a great impetus to the growth of the town. I expect to live to see fifty thousand people there. Let me ask how you became possessed of these lots?"

"They were given to me by a friend now dead."

"What was his name?"

"Walter Bruce."

"Indeed! Why, I own three lots adjoining the Bruce lots. They are among the best located in the town."