章节正文
You've been skylarking, too. I'm going to have you locked up!"
The watchman made a dash after the boys and the crowd scattered
in all directions. Sagger received a crack on the shoulder that
lamed him for a week, and Sammel tripped and went down, taking
the skin off of the end of his nose.
"Oh, me nose!" he moaned. "It's busted entirely!"
"Run!" cried Sagger. "If you don't you'll be nabbed sure!" And
then the crowd ran with all their speed, scrambling out of the
hole as best they could. They did not stop until they were half
a dozen blocks away and on their way home.
"We made a fizzle of it dat trip," said Sagger, dolefully.
"It's all your fault," growled one of the boys. "I ain't goin'
out wid you again. You promise big things but you never do 'em."
"Oh, Jack 's a gas-bag, dat's wot he is," was the comment of
another, and he walked off by himself. Presently one after
another of the boys followed suit, leaving Jack Sagger to sneak
home, a sadder if not a wiser lad.
CHAPTER XXI.
DAYS AT THE HOTEL.
"Perhaps those fellows have learned a lesson they won't forget in
a hurry," remarked Frank to Joe, after he learned the particulars
of the attack in the dark.
"I hope they don't molest me further," answered our hero. "If
they'll only let me alone I'll let them alone."
"That Sagger is certainly on the downward path," said Frank. "If
he doesn't look out he'll land in jail."
What Frank said was true, and less than a week later they heard
through another hotel boy that Jack Sagger had been arrested for
stealing some lead pipe out of a vacantresidence. The pipe had
been sold to a junkman for thirty cents and the boy had spent the
proceeds on a ticket for a cheap theater and some cigarettes. He
was sent to the House of Correction, and that was the last Joe
heard of him.
With the coming of winter the hotel filled up and Joe was kept
busy from morning to night, so that he had little time for
studying. He performed his duties faithfully and the hotel
proprietor was much pleased in consequence.
"Joe is all right," he said to his cashier, "I can trust him with
anything."
"That's so, and he is very gentlemanly, too," replied the
cashier.
Ulmer Montgomery was still at the hotel. He was now selling
antiquaries, and our hero often watched the fellow with interest.
He suspected that Montgomery was a good deal of a humbug, but
could not prove it.
At length Montgomery told Joe that he was going to the far West
to try his fortunes. The man seemed to like our hero, and the
night before he left the hotel he called Joe into his room.
"I want to make you a present of some books I own," said Ulmer
Montgomery. "Perhaps you'll like to read them. They are
historical works."
"Thank you, Mr. Montgomery, you are very kind."
"I used to be a book agent, but I gave that up as it didn't pay
me as well as some other things."
"And you had these books left over?"
"Yes. The firm I worked for wouldn't take them back so I had to
keep them."
"And now you are selling curiosities."
At this Ulmer Montgomery smiled blandly.
"Not exactly, Joe--I only sell curiosities, or antiquities, when
I am hard up. On other occasions I do like other folks, work for
a living."
"I don't quite understand."
"I dropped into selling curiosities when I was in the South and
hard up for cash. I wanted money the worst way, and I--well, I
set to work to raise it. Maybe you'd like to hear my story."
"I would."
"Mind you, I don't pose as a model of goodness and I shouldn't
advise you to follow in my footsteps. But I wanted money and
wanted in badly. So I put on my thinking cap, and I soon learned
of a very zealous antiquary living about five miles from where I
was stopping. He was wealthy and a bachelor, and spent no
inconsiderable portion of his income on curiosities."
"And you went to him?" said Joe, becoming interested.
"I at once determined to take advantage of this gentleman's
antiquarian zeal. I will own that I had some qualms of
conscience--about imposing upon the old gentleman, but I didn't
know of any other way to procure the money I absolutely needed.
"Having made all of my preparations, I set off for Mr. Leland's
house. To disguise myself I put on a pair of big goggles and an
old-fashioned collar and tie.
" 'I understand, Mr. Leland, that you are in the habit of
collecting curiosities,' I said.
" 'Quite right, sir,' said he. 'I have got together some few,'
and he gazed with an air of pride at the nondescript medley which
surrounded him.
" 'I have in my possession,' I proceeded, 'two or three of great
value, which I had hoped to retain, but, well, I need money, and
so I must part with them, much as I wish to call them mine. But
I wish to see that they get into the proper hands, and I have
been told that you are a great antiquarian, understanding the
true value of such things, and so--'
" 'Pray, show them to me at once!' cried the old man, eagerly.
" 'I have traveled a good deal, and been a pilgrim in many
climes,' I went on. 'I have wandered along the banks of the
Euphrates and dipped my feet in the currents of the Nile. I have
gazed upon ruined cities--'
" 'Yes! yes! show me what you have!' he cried, eagerly.
" 'Here is a curiosity of the highest order', I said, opening a
paper and showing a bit of salt about the size of a walnut.
'This is a portion of the statue of salt into which Lot's wife
was turned.'
" 'Is it possible?' cried the antiquary, taking the salt and
gazing at it in deep veneration. 'Are you quite certain of this?'
" 'I am,' I answered. 'It is a portion of the wrist. I broke it
off myself. The hand was already gone.' "
"And did he buy it?" questioned Joe, in astonishment.
"He did, and gave me fifty dollars in cash for it."
"But that wasn't fair, Mr. Montgomery."
The seller of bogus curiosities shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps not. But I was hard up and had to do something."
"Did you sell him anything else?"
"I did--a walking stick, which I had procured in Connecticut. It
was covered with strange carvings and he mistook them for
hieroglyphics, and gave me ten dollars for the thing."
"I don't see how you could have the nerve to do such things, Mr.
Montgomery."
"Well, a man can do lots of things when he is driven to do them.
I admit the deals were rather barefaced, but, as I said before, I
had to do something. Some day, when I am rich, I'll return the
money to the old fellow," added the impostor.
He left the hotel that morning, and it may be said here that Joe
did not meet him again for several years.
Christmas came and went at the hotel, and our hero received
several presents from his friends, including a pair of gloves
from Ned Talmadge and a five-dollar gold piece from Felix
Gussing. Some of the regular boarders at the hotel also
remembered him.
"And how do you like married life?" asked Joe, of Felix Gussing.
"We are getting along very nicely," said the dude.
"Have you told your wife about the duel yet?"
"No,--and I don't think I shall," added Felix Gussing. "You see
she--er--she thinks me a very brave man and--"
"And you don't want her to change her opinion," finished Joe,
with a smile!
"Why should I, Joe."
"Oh, I don't know as there is any reason, excepting that they
usually say men and their wives should have no secrets from each
other."
"Mr. Montgomery is gone, I see," said the dude, changing the
subject.
"Yes, sir."
"Then you are the only one who knows of this secret. You won't
tell, will you?"
"No, sir."
"We are having troubles enough as it is," went on the dude.
"Both my wife and I find housekeeping rather troublesome. It is
hard to obtain proper servants, and she does not care to do the
work herself."
"Why don't you go to boarding?"
"Perhaps we will, later on."
With the new year came a heavy fall of snow and soon sleighs big
and little were in demand. Then came a slight fall of rain which
made the sidewalks a glare of ice.
"Got to be careful," announced Frank to Joe. "If you don't
you'll go down on your back."
"I intend to be careful," answered our hero. "I have no wish to
break any bones."
That afternoon Joe was sent on an errand to a place of business
half a mile away. On returning he chanced to stop at a street
corner, to watch a number of children who had made a long slide
for themselves.
As he stood watching, a man came along bundled up in a great coat
and wearing a slouch hat and blue glasses. The man was walking
rapidly, as if in a hurry.
"That fellow looks familiar to me," thought Joe. "Wonder who he
can be?"
He watched the stranger cross the street. Then the fellow
happened to step on the icy slide and in a twinkling he went down
on his back, his hat flying in one direction and a bundle he
carried in another.
"Hurrah! Down goes the gent!" sang out a newsboy standing near.
"Come here an' I'll pick yer up!" said another street urchin.
"You rascals, you fixed this on purpose so I should fall!" cried
the man, starting to get up.
"Can I help you?" questioned Joe, coming up, and then he gave a
start, as he recognized the fellow.
It was Pat Malone, alias David Ball, from Montana!
CHAPTER XXII.
ABOUT SOME MINING SHARES.
"How do you do, Mr. Ball?" said our hero, coolly.
"Eh, what's that?" questioned Malone, in amazement. Then he
recognized Joe, and his face fell.
"I have often wondered what became of you," went on our hero.
"Let me help you up."
"I--that is--who are you, boy?" demanded Malone, getting to his
feet and picking up his hat and his bundle.
"You ought to remember me. I am Joe Bodley. I used to work for
Mr. Mallison, at Riverside."
"Don't know the man or the place," said Pat Malone, coolly. "You
have made a mistake."
"Then perhaps I had better call you Malone."
"Not at all. My name is Fry--John Fry."
"How often do you change your name, Mr. Fry."
"Don't get impudent!"
"I am not impudent,--I am only asking a plain question."
"I never change my name."
At that moment Joe saw a policeman on the opposite side of the
street and beckoned for the officer to come over.
"Hi! what's the meaning of this!" ejaculated Pat Malone.
"Officer, I want this man locked up," said Joe, and caught the
The watchman made a dash after the boys and the crowd scattered
in all directions. Sagger received a crack on the shoulder that
lamed him for a week, and Sammel tripped and went down, taking
the skin off of the end of his nose.
"Oh, me nose!" he moaned. "It's busted entirely!"
"Run!" cried Sagger. "If you don't you'll be nabbed sure!" And
then the crowd ran with all their speed, scrambling out of the
hole as best they could. They did not stop until they were half
a dozen blocks away and on their way home.
"We made a fizzle of it dat trip," said Sagger, dolefully.
"It's all your fault," growled one of the boys. "I ain't goin'
out wid you again. You promise big things but you never do 'em."
"Oh, Jack 's a gas-bag, dat's wot he is," was the comment of
another, and he walked off by himself. Presently one after
another of the boys followed suit, leaving Jack Sagger to sneak
home, a sadder if not a wiser lad.
CHAPTER XXI.
DAYS AT THE HOTEL.
"Perhaps those fellows have learned a lesson they won't forget in
a hurry," remarked Frank to Joe, after he learned the particulars
of the attack in the dark.
"I hope they don't molest me further," answered our hero. "If
they'll only let me alone I'll let them alone."
"That Sagger is certainly on the downward path," said Frank. "If
he doesn't look out he'll land in jail."
What Frank said was true, and less than a week later they heard
through another hotel boy that Jack Sagger had been arrested for
stealing some lead pipe out of a vacantresidence. The pipe had
been sold to a junkman for thirty cents and the boy had spent the
proceeds on a ticket for a cheap theater and some cigarettes. He
was sent to the House of Correction, and that was the last Joe
heard of him.
With the coming of winter the hotel filled up and Joe was kept
busy from morning to night, so that he had little time for
studying. He performed his duties faithfully and the hotel
proprietor was much pleased in consequence.
"Joe is all right," he said to his cashier, "I can trust him with
anything."
"That's so, and he is very gentlemanly, too," replied the
cashier.
Ulmer Montgomery was still at the hotel. He was now selling
antiquaries, and our hero often watched the fellow with interest.
He suspected that Montgomery was a good deal of a humbug, but
could not prove it.
At length Montgomery told Joe that he was going to the far West
to try his fortunes. The man seemed to like our hero, and the
night before he left the hotel he called Joe into his room.
"I want to make you a present of some books I own," said Ulmer
Montgomery. "Perhaps you'll like to read them. They are
historical works."
"Thank you, Mr. Montgomery, you are very kind."
"I used to be a book agent, but I gave that up as it didn't pay
me as well as some other things."
"And you had these books left over?"
"Yes. The firm I worked for wouldn't take them back so I had to
keep them."
"And now you are selling curiosities."
At this Ulmer Montgomery smiled blandly.
"Not exactly, Joe--I only sell curiosities, or antiquities, when
I am hard up. On other occasions I do like other folks, work for
a living."
"I don't quite understand."
"I dropped into selling curiosities when I was in the South and
hard up for cash. I wanted money the worst way, and I--well, I
set to work to raise it. Maybe you'd like to hear my story."
"I would."
"Mind you, I don't pose as a model of goodness and I shouldn't
advise you to follow in my footsteps. But I wanted money and
wanted in badly. So I put on my thinking cap, and I soon learned
of a very zealous antiquary living about five miles from where I
was stopping. He was wealthy and a bachelor, and spent no
inconsiderable portion of his income on curiosities."
"And you went to him?" said Joe, becoming interested.
"I at once determined to take advantage of this gentleman's
antiquarian zeal. I will own that I had some qualms of
conscience--about imposing upon the old gentleman, but I didn't
know of any other way to procure the money I absolutely needed.
"Having made all of my preparations, I set off for Mr. Leland's
house. To disguise myself I put on a pair of big goggles and an
old-fashioned collar and tie.
" 'I understand, Mr. Leland, that you are in the habit of
collecting curiosities,' I said.
" 'Quite right, sir,' said he. 'I have got together some few,'
and he gazed with an air of pride at the nondescript medley which
surrounded him.
" 'I have in my possession,' I proceeded, 'two or three of great
value, which I had hoped to retain, but, well, I need money, and
so I must part with them, much as I wish to call them mine. But
I wish to see that they get into the proper hands, and I have
been told that you are a great antiquarian, understanding the
true value of such things, and so--'
" 'Pray, show them to me at once!' cried the old man, eagerly.
" 'I have traveled a good deal, and been a pilgrim in many
climes,' I went on. 'I have wandered along the banks of the
Euphrates and dipped my feet in the currents of the Nile. I have
gazed upon ruined cities--'
" 'Yes! yes! show me what you have!' he cried, eagerly.
" 'Here is a curiosity of the highest order', I said, opening a
paper and showing a bit of salt about the size of a walnut.
'This is a portion of the statue of salt into which Lot's wife
was turned.'
" 'Is it possible?' cried the antiquary, taking the salt and
gazing at it in deep veneration. 'Are you quite certain of this?'
" 'I am,' I answered. 'It is a portion of the wrist. I broke it
off myself. The hand was already gone.' "
"And did he buy it?" questioned Joe, in astonishment.
"He did, and gave me fifty dollars in cash for it."
"But that wasn't fair, Mr. Montgomery."
The seller of bogus curiosities shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps not. But I was hard up and had to do something."
"Did you sell him anything else?"
"I did--a walking stick, which I had procured in Connecticut. It
was covered with strange carvings and he mistook them for
hieroglyphics, and gave me ten dollars for the thing."
"I don't see how you could have the nerve to do such things, Mr.
Montgomery."
"Well, a man can do lots of things when he is driven to do them.
I admit the deals were rather barefaced, but, as I said before, I
had to do something. Some day, when I am rich, I'll return the
money to the old fellow," added the impostor.
He left the hotel that morning, and it may be said here that Joe
did not meet him again for several years.
Christmas came and went at the hotel, and our hero received
several presents from his friends, including a pair of gloves
from Ned Talmadge and a five-dollar gold piece from Felix
Gussing. Some of the regular boarders at the hotel also
remembered him.
"And how do you like married life?" asked Joe, of Felix Gussing.
"We are getting along very nicely," said the dude.
"Have you told your wife about the duel yet?"
"No,--and I don't think I shall," added Felix Gussing. "You see
she--er--she thinks me a very brave man and--"
"And you don't want her to change her opinion," finished Joe,
with a smile!
"Why should I, Joe."
"Oh, I don't know as there is any reason, excepting that they
usually say men and their wives should have no secrets from each
other."
"Mr. Montgomery is gone, I see," said the dude, changing the
subject.
"Yes, sir."
"Then you are the only one who knows of this secret. You won't
tell, will you?"
"No, sir."
"We are having troubles enough as it is," went on the dude.
"Both my wife and I find housekeeping rather troublesome. It is
hard to obtain proper servants, and she does not care to do the
work herself."
"Why don't you go to boarding?"
"Perhaps we will, later on."
With the new year came a heavy fall of snow and soon sleighs big
and little were in demand. Then came a slight fall of rain which
made the sidewalks a glare of ice.
"Got to be careful," announced Frank to Joe. "If you don't
you'll go down on your back."
"I intend to be careful," answered our hero. "I have no wish to
break any bones."
That afternoon Joe was sent on an errand to a place of business
half a mile away. On returning he chanced to stop at a street
corner, to watch a number of children who had made a long slide
for themselves.
As he stood watching, a man came along bundled up in a great coat
and wearing a slouch hat and blue glasses. The man was walking
rapidly, as if in a hurry.
"That fellow looks familiar to me," thought Joe. "Wonder who he
can be?"
He watched the stranger cross the street. Then the fellow
happened to step on the icy slide and in a twinkling he went down
on his back, his hat flying in one direction and a bundle he
carried in another.
"Hurrah! Down goes the gent!" sang out a newsboy standing near.
"Come here an' I'll pick yer up!" said another street urchin.
"You rascals, you fixed this on purpose so I should fall!" cried
the man, starting to get up.
"Can I help you?" questioned Joe, coming up, and then he gave a
start, as he recognized the fellow.
It was Pat Malone, alias David Ball, from Montana!
CHAPTER XXII.
ABOUT SOME MINING SHARES.
"How do you do, Mr. Ball?" said our hero, coolly.
"Eh, what's that?" questioned Malone, in amazement. Then he
recognized Joe, and his face fell.
"I have often wondered what became of you," went on our hero.
"Let me help you up."
"I--that is--who are you, boy?" demanded Malone, getting to his
feet and picking up his hat and his bundle.
"You ought to remember me. I am Joe Bodley. I used to work for
Mr. Mallison, at Riverside."
"Don't know the man or the place," said Pat Malone, coolly. "You
have made a mistake."
"Then perhaps I had better call you Malone."
"Not at all. My name is Fry--John Fry."
"How often do you change your name, Mr. Fry."
"Don't get impudent!"
"I am not impudent,--I am only asking a plain question."
"I never change my name."
At that moment Joe saw a policeman on the opposite side of the
street and beckoned for the officer to come over.
"Hi! what's the meaning of this!" ejaculated Pat Malone.
"Officer, I want this man locked up," said Joe, and caught the
- comment [´kɔment]
n.&v.评论；评注；注意 (初中英语单词) - presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)
- vacant [´veikənt] a.空虚的，无表情的 (初中英语单词)
- residence [´rezidəns] n.居住(期间)；住宅 (初中英语单词)
- goodness [´gudnis] n.优良；美德；精华 (初中英语单词)
- wealthy [´welθi] a.富有的；丰富的 (初中英语单词)
- portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)
- income [´inkʌm] n.收入，所得 (初中英语单词)
- advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
- procure [prə´kjuə] v.获得；完(达)成；实现 (初中英语单词)
- absolutely [´æbsəlu:tli] ad.绝对地；确实 (初中英语单词)
- disguise [dis´gaiz] vt.假装；隐瞒 n.伪装 (初中英语单词)
- collar [´kɔlə] n.衣领；(狗等的)项圈 (初中英语单词)
- retain [ri´tein] vt.保持；保留；留住 (初中英语单词)
- curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)
- opening [´əupəniŋ] n.开放；开端 a.开始的 (初中英语单词)
- statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)
- driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)
- errand [´erənd] n.差使，使命 (初中英语单词)
- bundle [´bʌndl] n.包，捆；包袱(裹) (初中英语单词)
- standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)
- amazement [ə´meizmənt] n.惊愕；惊奇 (初中英语单词)
- policeman [pə´li:smən] n.警察 (初中英语单词)
- learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)
- downward [´daunwəd] a.下降的，向下的 (高中英语单词)
- faithfully [´feiθfəli] ad.忠实地；诚恳地 (高中英语单词)
- bachelor [´bætʃələ] n.未婚男子；学士 (高中英语单词)
- pilgrim [´pilgrim] n.旅行者；香客 (高中英语单词)
- seller [´selə] n.销售者；行销货 (高中英语单词)
- mining [´mainiŋ] n.采矿；矿业 (高中英语单词)
- watchman [´wɔtʃmən] n.(夜间)看守人 (英语四级单词)
- correction [kə´rekʃən] n.改正，纠正，修改 (英语四级单词)
- cashier [kæ´ʃiə] n.出纳员 (英语四级单词)
- zealous [´zeləs] a.热情的；积极的 (英语四级单词)
- traveled [´trævəld] a.见面广的；旅客多的 (英语四级单词)
- coolly [´ku:li] ad.冷(静地)，沉着地 (英语四级单词)
- molest [mə´lest] vt.骚扰；使烦恼 (英语六级单词)
- imposing [im´pəuziŋ] a.壮丽的，堂皇的 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- housekeeping [´haus,ki:piŋ] n.家务管理，家政 (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
章节正文
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