I never had a
better friend than Jerry Quintin. I always spend my vacation there. I
lived there from the time I was ten years old until I was twenty-three,
and always go there in summertime for a few weeks' rest--occupying my old
room, eating with the boys, and roaming in the woods; I know every tree
and bypath; yes, and many a swim have I had in the old river. Jerry
Quintin," he continued, "as we used to call him. Why, I've known him
since I was a child. Do you want to hear about him? Well, when he was a
youth, not quite out of his teens, Mr. Thorndyke gave the land on which
the Monastery stands, Quintin was made chairman of the board of
trustees, and treasurer also. He has handled every dollar of the funds,
superintended the erection of all the buildings, the laying off of the
Monastery Park, and had charge of the farm; and through all the years no
auditing committee had ever found an inaccuracy in his accounts.
Foresight, sagacity, rectitude are synonymous terms with the name of
Quintin. True as gold is Jerry Quintin. He always means what he says, and
says just what he means. Let me assure you, there is no truer man in the
Empire State than this same Quintin."
A few days later Sparrow found himself set ashore at Centerville Landing
at an early hour in the morning. The first thing he saw was a plainly
dressed man sitting in a buckboard who, as Sparrow approached, accosted
him with the words: "Mr. Sparrow, good morning.
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