He was not quite sure whether the news
was reliable, or merely invented by Randolph to tease and
annoy him. Upon this point, however, he was soon made certain.
The next day, as he was attending to his duties in the schoolhouse,
Tim Flanagan entered.
"Here's a note for you, Luke," he said.
Luke opened the note and found it brief but significant.
It ran thus:
"LUKE LARKIN: I have appointed the bearer, Timothy Flanagan,
janitor in your place. You will give him the key of the
schoolhouse, and he will at once assume your duties.
"PRINCE DUNCAN."
"Well, Tim," said Luke, calmly, "it appears that you are going
to take my place."
"Yes, Luke, but I don't care much about it. My mother
went to the squire and got me the job. The pay's a dollar
a week, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"That isn't enough."
"It isn't very much, but there are not many ways of earning
money here in Groveton."
"What do you have to do?"
"Make the fire every morning and sweep out twice a week.
Then there's dusting, splitting up kindlings, and so on."
"I don't think I'll like it. I ain't good at makin' fires.
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