ORE BOY >RATIO ALGER. JR. ^roperfyo/^ a. 7 o UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL ■■llllliilliillllilli 00022093155 -lisi THE BEST OF THE Famous Alger Stories for Bo I RETAIL PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY A new edition, five by seven and a quarter inches, froni plates, with new illustrations. Bound in cloth, and stamp colors on the fi'ont cover in several designs. Distinctively good-looking volumes. The lowest-priced bound edition of Alger Books, and better in many waysj some of the higher-priced editions. 25. A Cousin's Conspiracy 26. Andy Gordon 27. Bob Burton 28. Harry Vane 29. Hector's Inheritance 30. Mark Mason's Triumph 31. Sam's Chance 32. The Telegraph Boy 33; The Young Adventurer 34. The Young Outlaw 35. The Young Salesman 36. Luke Walton 37. Andy Grant's Pluck 38. Ben's Nugget I 39. The Young Explorer V 40. Helping Himsdf I 41. The Store Boy i 42. The Tin Box | 43. Chester Rand | 44. The Young Acrobat f 45. A Young Miner | 46. Charlie Codman's Cruisf] 47. Adrift in New York | 48. Walter Sherwood's ProM 1. Strong and Steady 2. Strive and Succeed 3. Try and Trust 4. Bound to Rise 5. Risen from the Ranks 6. Herbert Carter's Legacy f . Brave and Bold 8. Jack's Ward 9. Shifting for Himself 10. Wait and Hope 11. Paul the Peddler 12. PhU the Fiddler 13. Slow and Sure 14. Julius the Street Boy 15. Tom the Bootblack 16. Struggling Upward 17. Facing the World 18. The Cash Boy 19. Making His Way 20. Tony the Tramp 21. Joe's Luck 22. Do and Dare 23. Only an Irish Boy 24. Sink or Swam *i Ask for The New York Book Compant's Alger Books | THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY PuBUSHERs, 147 Fourth Avenue New York, N. Y. THE STORE BOY OR THE FORTUNES OF BEN BARCLAY BY HORATIO ALGER, Jr. AUTHOR OF 'AMnaWT IN NEW YORK," "nED NEWTON," "mAEK STANTON,'* "jROM CANAL BOY TO PRESIDENT," "ERIE TRAIN BOY," "adventures OP a TELEGRAPH BOY," ETC. NEW YORK THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 1913 BIOGRAPHY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY HoEATio Algee, Jr., an author who lived among and for boys and himself remained a boy in heart and asso- ciation till death, was born at Revere, Mass., January 13, 1834. He was the son of a clergyman; was graduated at Harvard College in 1852, and at its Divinity School m 1860; and was pastor of the Unitarian Church at Brewster, Mass., in 1862-66. In the latter year he settled in New York and began drawing pubUc attention to the condition and needs of street boys. He mingled with them, gained their confi- dence, showed a personal concern in their afiairs, and stimulated them to honest and useful Uving. With his first story he won the hearts of all red-blooded boys every- where, and of the seventy or more that followed over a million copies were sold during the author's lifetime. In his later life he was in appearance a short, stout, bald-headed man, with cordial manners and whimsical views of things that amused all who met him. He died at Natick, Mass., July 18, 1899. IVIr. Alger's stories are as popular now as wben first published, because they treat of real live boys who were always up and about — ^just Uke the boys found everywhere to-day. They are pure in tone and inspiring in influence, and many reforms m the juvenile life of New York may be traced to them. Among the best known are: Strong and Steady; Strive and Su>' M ;-:''.?i THE STORE BOY 23 set before him. Without ceremony he attacked the viands and ate as if half famished. When about half through, he turned to the widow, and asked: "Haven't you some whiskey in the house?" " I never keep any," answered Mrs. Barclay. " Rum or gin, then? I ain't partic'lar. I want something to warm me up." " I keep no liquor of any kind. I don't approve of drink, or want Ben to touch it." "Oh, you belong to the cold water army, do you?" said the tramp, with a sneer. " Give me some coffee, then." " I have no fire, and cannot prepare any." " What have you got, then? " demanded the unwelcome guest, impatiently. " I can give you a glass of excellent well water," " Faugh! Do you want to choke me? " returned the tramp, in disgust. " Suppose I mix you some molasses and water," suggested the widow, anxious to propitiate her dangerous guest. " Humph! Well, that will do, if you've got nothing better. Be quick about it, for my throat is parched." As soon as possible the drink was prepared and set be- side his plate. He drained it at a draught, and called for a. second glass, which was supplied him. Presently, for all things must have an end, the tramp's appetite seemed to be satisfied. He threw himself back in his chair, stretched his legs, and, with both hands in his pockets, fixed his eyes on the widow. " I feel better," he said. " I am glad to hear it," said Mrs. Barclay. " Now, if you'll be kind enough, leave the house, for I expect Ben back be- fore long." " And you don't want him to get hurt," laughed the tramp, " Well, I do owe him a flogging for a trick he played on me." "Oh, pray, go away!" said Mrs. Barclay, apprehensively. " I have given you some supper, and that ought to satisfy you." " I can't go away till I've talked to you a little on busi- ness." "Business! What business can you have with me?" " More than you think. You are the widow of Joim Bar- clay, ain't you?" "Yes; did you know my husband?" "Yes; that is, I saw something of him just before he died." "Can you tell me anything about his last moments?" asked the widow, forgetting the character of her visitor, and only thinking of her husband. " No, that isn't in my line. I ain't a doctor nor yet a min- ister. I say, did he leave any money?" 2tt 24 THE STORE BOY " Not that we have been able to find out. He owned this house, but left no other property," " That you know of," said the tramp, significantly. "Do you know of any?" asked Mrs. Barclay, eagerly, " How did you happen to know him? " " 1 was the barkeeper in the hotel where he died. It was a small house, not one of your first-class hotels." " My husband was always careful of his expenses. He would not spend money unnecessarily. With his prudence we all thought he must have some investments, but we could discover none." " Have you got any money in the house? " asked the tramp, with seeming abruptness. "Why do you ask?" returned the widow, alarmed. " Surely, you would not rob me? " " No. I don't want to rob you. I want to sell you some- thing. " I don't care to buy. It takes all our money for necessary expenses." " You don't ask what I have to sell." " No, because I cannot buy it, whatever it may be." " It is — a secret," said the tramp. "A secret!" repeated Mrs. Barclay, bewildered. " Yes, and a secret worth buying. Your husband wasn't so poor as you think. He left stock and papers representing three thousand dollars, and I am the only man who can put you in the way of getting it." Mrs. Barclay was about to express her surprise, when a loud knock was heard at the outer door. " Who's that? " demanded the tramp, quickly. " Is it the boy?" " No, he would not knock." " Then, let me get out of this," he said, leaping to his feet. "Isn't there a back door?" " Yes, there it is," He hurried to the door, unbolted it, and made his escape into the open field beyond the house, just as the knock was repeated. Confused by what she had heard, and the strange con- duct of her visitor, the widow took the lamp and went to the door. To her surprise she found, on opening it, two visitors, in one of whom she recognized Squire Davenport, already referred to as holding a mortgage on her house. The other was a short, dark-complexioned man, who looked like a mechanic. "Excuse me the lateness of my call, Mrs, Barclay," said the squire, smoothly. " I come on important business. This is Mr. Kirk, a cousin of my wife," " Walk in, gentlemen," said Mrs. Barclay. " This is a night of surprises," she thought to herself. THE STORE BOY 25 CHAPTER IV UNPLEASANT BUSINESS It was now nine o'clock, rather a late hour for callers in the country, and Mrs. Barclay waited not without curiosity to hear the nature of the business which had brought her two visitors at that time. " Take seats, gentlemen," she said, with the courtesy habitual to her. Squire Davenport, who was disposed to consider that he had a right to the best of everything, seated himself in the rocking-chair, and signed his companion to a cane-chair be- side him. " Mr. Kirk," he commenced, " is thinking of coming to Pentonville to live." " I am glad to hear it," said Mrs. Barclay, politely. Per- haps she would not have said this if she had known what was coming next. " He is a carpenter," continued the squire, " and, as we have none in the village except old Mr. Wade, who is super- annuated, I think he will find enough to do to keep him busy." " I should think so," assented the widow. " If he does not, I can employ him a part of the time on my land." "What has all this to do with me?" thought Mrs. Barclay. She soon learned. " Of course he will need a house," pursued the squire, " and as his family is small, he thinks this house will just suit him." " But I don't wish to sell," said the widow, hurriedly. " I need this house for Ben and myself." " You could doubtless find other accommodations. I dare say you could hire a couple of rooms from Elnathan Per- kins." " I wouldn't live in that old shell," said Mrs. Barclay, rather indignantly, " and I am sure Ben wouldn't." " I apprehend Benjamin will have no voice in the matter," said Squire Davenport, stiffly. " He is only a boy." " He is my main support, and my main adviser," said Mrs. Barclay, with spirit, " and I shall not take any step which is disagreeable to him." Mr. Kirk looked disappointed, but the squire gave him an assuring look, as the widow could see. " Perhaps you may change your mind," said the squire, significantly. " I am under the impression that I hold a mortgage on this property." "Yes, sir," assented Mrs. Barclay, apprehensively. 26 THE STORE BOY " For the sum of seven hundred dollars, if I am not mis- taken." " Yes, sir." " I shall have need of this money for other purposes, and will trouble you to take it up," " I was to have three months' notice," said the widow, with a troubled look. " I will give you three months' notice to-night," said the squire. " I don't know where to raise the money," faltered Mrs. Barclay. " Then you had better sell to my friend here. He will assume the mortgage and pay you three hundred dollars." " But that will be only a thousand dollars for the place." " A very fair price in my opinion, Mrs. Barclay." " I have always considered it worth fifteen hundred dol- lars," said the widow, very much disturbed. "A fancy price, my dear madam; quite an absurd price, I assure you. What do you say. Kirk?" " I quite agree with you, squire," said Kirk, in a strong, nasal tone, " But then, women don't know anything of busi- ness." " I know that you and your cousin are trying to take ad- vantage of my poverty," said Mrs. Barclay, bitterly, " If you are a carpenter, why don't you build a house for your- self, instead of trying to deprive me of mine?" " That's my business," said Kirk, rudely. " Mr. Kirk cannot spare the time to build at present," said the squire, " Then why doesn't he hire rooms from Elnathan Perkins, as you just recommended to me?" " They wouldn't suit him," said the squire, curtly. " He has set his mind on this house." " Squire Davenport" said Mrs. Barclay, in a softened voice, " I am sure you cannot understand what you ask of me when you seek to take my home and turn me adrift. Here I lived with my poor husband; here my boy was born. During my married life I have had no other home. It is a humble dwelling, but it has associations and charms for me which it can have for no one else. Let Mr, Kirk seek .some other house and leave me undisturbed in mine." "Humph!" said the squire, shrugging his shoulders; "you look upon the matter from a sentimental point of view. That is unwise. It is simply a matter of business. You speak of the house as yours. In reality, it is more mine than yours, for I have a major interest in it. Think over my proposal coolly, and you will see that you are unrea- sonable. Mr. Kirk may be induced to give you a little more — say three hundred and fifty dollars — over and above the mortgage, which, as I said before, he is willing to assume." " How does it happen that you are willing to let the mort- THE STORE BOY 27 gage remain, if he buys, when you want the money for othec purposes?" asked the widow, keenly. " He is a near relative of my wife, and that makes a dif-t ference, I apprehend." "Well, madam, what do you say?" asked Kirk, briskly. "I say this, that I will keep the house if I can." "You needn't expect that I will relent," said the squire,; hastily. " I do not, for I see there is no consideration in your heart for a poor widow; but I cannot help thinking that Provi- dence will raise up some kind friend who will buy the mort- gage, or in some other way will enable me to save my home." " You are acting very foolishly, Mrs. Barclay, as you will realize in time. I give you a week in which to change youri mind. Till then my friend Kirk's offer stands good. Aften that I cannot promise. If the property is sold at auction, I shouldn't be surprised if it did not fetch more than the amount of my lien upon it." " I will trust in Providence, Squire Davenport." " Providence won't pay off your mortgage, ma'am," said Kirk, with a coarse laugh. Mrs. Barclay did not answer. She saw that he was a mam of coarse fiber, and did not care to notice him. " Come along, Kirk," said the squire. " I apprehend she will be all right after a while. Mrs. Barclay will see heE own interest when she comes to reflect." " Good-evening, ma'am," said Kirk. Mrs. Barclay inclined her head slowly, but did not reply. When the two had left the house, she sank into a chaiF) and gave herself to painful thoughts. She had known that Squire Davenport had the right to dispossess her, but had nof] supposed he would do so as long as she paid the interest regularly. In order to do this, she and Ben had made earn- est efforts, and denied themselves all but the barest necessi- ties. Thus far she had succeeded. The interest on seven hundred dollars at six per cent, had amounted to forty-two dollars, and this was a large sum to pay, but thus far they had always had it ready. That Squire Davenport, with his own handsome mansion, would fix covetous eyes on her little home, she had not anticipated, but it had come to pass. As to raising seven hundred dollars to pay off the mort- gage, or induce any capitalist to furnish it, she feared iti would be quite impossible. She anxiously waited for Ben's return from the Town Hall in order to consult with him. 28 THE STORE BOY CHAPTER V PROP. HARRINGTON'S ENTERTAINMENT Meanwhile Ben Barclay was enjoying himself at Prof. Harrington's entertainment. He was at the Town Hall fif- teen minutes before the time, and secured a seat very near the stage, or, perhaps it will be more correct to say, the platform. He had scarcely taken his seat when, to his grati- fication, Rose Gardiner entered the hall and sat down beside him. " Good-evening, Ben," she said, pleasantly. " So you came, after all." Ben's face flushed with pleasure, for Rose Gardiner was, as we have said, the prettiest girl in Pentonville, and for this reason, as well as for her agreeable manners, was an object of attraction to the boys, who, while too young to be in love, were not insensible to the charms of a pretty face. I may add, that Rose was the niece of the Rev. Mr. Gardiner, the minister of the leading church in the village. " Good-evening, Rose," responded Ben, who was too well acquainted with the young lady to address her more for- mally; " I am glad to be in such company." " I wish I could return the compliment," answered Rose, with a saucy smile. " Don't be too severe," said Ben, " or you will hurt my feelings." " That would be a pity, surely; but how do you happen to get off this evening? I thought you spent your evenings at the store?" "So I do generally, but I was excused this evening for a special reason," and then he told of his adventure with the tramp. Rose listened with eager attention. "Weren't you terribly frightened?" she asked. "No," answered Ben, adding, with a smile: "Even if I had been, I shouldn't like to confess it." " I should have been so frightened that I would have screamed," continued the young lady. " I didn't think of that," said Ben, amused. " I'll remem- ber it next time." " Oh, now I know you are laughing at me. Tell me truly, weren't you frightened?" " I was only afraid I might lose Mr. Crawford's money. The tramp was stronger than I, and could have taken it from me if he had known I had it." " You tricked him nicely. Where did he go? Do you think he is still in town? " " He went into the woods. I don't think he is in the vil- lage. He would be afraid of being arrested." THE STORE BOY 29 At that very moment the tramp was in Ben's kitchen, but of that Ben had no idea. " I don't know what I should do if I met him," said Rose. "You see I came alone. Aunt couldn't come with me, and uncle, being a minister, doesn't care for such things." " Then I hope you'll let me see you home," said Ben, gal- lantly. " I wouldn't like to trouble you," said Rose, with a spice of coquetry. " It will take you out of your way." " I don't mind that," said Ben, eagerly. "Besides, there won't be any need. You say the tramp isn't in the village." " On second thoughts, I think it very likely he is," said Ben. " If you really think so " commenced Rose, with cun- ning hesitation. " I feel quite sure of it. He's a terrible looking fellow." Rose smiled to herself. She meant all the time to accept Ben's escort, for he was a bright, attractive boy, and she liked his society. " Then perhaps I had better accept your offer, but I am sorry to give you so much trouble." " No trouble at all," said Ben, promptly. Just then Prof. Harrington came forward and made his introductory speech. " For my first experiment, ladies and gentlemen," he said, when this was over, " I should like a pocket handkerchief." A countryfied-looking young man on the front seat, anxious to share in the glory of the coming trick, produced a flaming red bandana from his pocket and tendered it with out- stretched hand. " You are very kind," said the professor, " but this will hardly answer my purpose. I should prefer a linen hand- kerchief. Will some young lady oblige me?" "Let him have yours, Rose," suggested Ben. Rose had no objection, and it was passed to the professor. " The young lady will give me leave to do what I please with the handkerchief? " asked the professor. Rose nodded assent. " Then," said the professor, " I will see if it is proof against fire." He deliberately unfolded it, crushed it in his hand, and then held it in the flame of a candle. Rose uttered a low ejaculation. " That's the last of your handkerchief. Rose," said Ben. " You made me give it to him. You must buy me an- other," said the young lady. " So I will, if you don't get it back safe." "How can I?" "I don't know. Perhaps the professor does," answered Ben. 30 THE STORE BOY "Really," said the professor, contemplating the handker- chief, regretfully. " I am afraid I have destroyed the hand- kerchief; I hope the young lady will pardon me." He looked at Rose, but she made no sign. She felt a little disturbed, for it was a fine handkerchief, given her by her aunt. " I see the young lady is annoyed," continued the magician. " In that case I must try to repair damages. I made a little mistake in supposing the handkerchief to be non-combusti- ble. However, perhaps matters are not so bad as they seem." He tossed the handkerchief behind a screen, and moved forward to a table on which was a neat box. Taking a small key from his pocket, he unlocked it and drew forth before the astonished eyes of his .audience the handkerchief in- tact. "I believe this is your handkerchief, is it not?" he asked, stepping down from the platform, and handing it back to Rose. " Yes," answered Rose, in amazement, examining it care- fully, and unable to detect any injury. " And it is in as good condition as when you gave it to me?" " Yes, sir." So much the better. Then I shall not be at the expense of buying a new one. Young man, have you any objections to lending me your hat? " This question was addressed to Ben. " No, sir." "Thank you. I will promise not to burn it, as I did the young lady's handkerchief. You are sure there is nothing in it?" " Yes, sir." By this time the magician had reached the platform. " I am sorry to doubt the young gentleman's word," said the professor, " but I will charitably believe he is mistaken. Perhaps he forgot these articles when he said it was empty," and he drew forth a couple of potatoes and half a dozen onions from the hat and laid them on the table. There was a roar of laughter from the audience, and Ben looked rather confused, especially when Rose turned to him and, laughing, said: "You've been robbing Mr. Crawford, I am afraid, Ben." " The young gentleman evidently uses his hat for a mar- ket-basket," proceeded the professor. " Rather a strange taste, but this is a free country. But what have we here?" Out came a pair of stockings, a napkin and a necktie. " Very convenient to carry your wardrobe about with you," said the professor, " though it is rather curious taste to put them with vegetables. But here is something else," and the magician produced a small kitten, who regarded the au- dience with startled eyes and uttered a timid moan. THE STORE BOY 31 "Oh, Ben! let me have that pretty kitten," said Rose. "It's none of mine! " said Ben, half annoyed, half amused. "I believe there is nothing more," said the professor. He carried back the hat to Ben, and gave it to him, with the remark: "Young man, you may call for your vegetables and other articles after the entertainment." " You are welcome to them," said Ben. "Thank you; you are very liberal." When at length the performance was over, Ben and Rose moved toward the door. As Rose reached the outer door, a boy about Ben's age, but considerably better dressed, stepped up to her, and said, with a consequential air: " I will see you home, Miss Gardiner." "Much obliged, Mr. Davenport," said Rose, "but I have accepted Ben's escort." CHAPTER VI TWO YOUNG RIVALS Tom Davenport, for it was the son of Squire Davenport who had offered his escort to Rose, glanced superciliously at our hero. "I congratulate you on having secured a, grocer's boy as escort," he said, in a tone of annoyance. Ben's fist contracted, and he longed to give the pretentious aristocrat a lesson, but he had the good sense to wait for the young lady's reply. " I accept your congratulations, Mr. Davenport," said Rose, coldly. " I have no desire to change my escort." Tom Davenport laughed derisively, and walked away. " I'd like to box his ears," said Ben, reddening. " He doesn't deserve your nqtice, Ben," said Rose, taking his arm. But Ben was not easily appeased. " Just because his father is a rich man," he resumed. " He presumes upon it," interrupted Rose, good-naturedly. " Well, let him. That's his chief claim to consideration, and it is natural for him to make the most of it." " At any rate, I hope that can't be «aid of me," returned Ben, his brow clearing. " If I had nothing but money to be proud of, I should be very poorly off." " You wouldn't object to it, though." "No; I hope, for mother's sake, some day to be rich." "Most of our rich men were once poor boys," said Rose, Quietly. " I have a book of biographies at home, and I find that not only rich men, but men distinguished in other ways, generally commenced in poverty." 32 THE STORE BOY " I wish you'd lend me that book," said Ben. " Sometimes I get despondent and that will give me courage." " You shall have it whenever you call at the house. But you mustn't think too much of getting money." "I don't mean to; but I should like to make my mother comfortable. I don't see much chance of it while I remain a ' grocer's boy ' as Tom Davenport calls me." " Better be a grocer's boy than spend your time in Idle- ness, as Tom does." " Tom thinks it beneath him to work." " If his father had been of the same mind w^hen he was a boy, he would never have become a rich man." " Was Squire Davenport a poor boy? " "Yes; so uncle told me the other day. When he was a boy he worked on a farm. I don't know how he made his money, but I presume he laid the foundation of his wealth by hard work. So, Tom hasn't any right to look down upon those who are beginning now as his father began." They had by this time traversed half the distance from the Town Hall to the young lady's home. The subject of conversation was changed and they began to talk about the evening's entertainment. At length they reached the minis- ter's house. "Won't you come in, Ben?" asked Rose. " Isn't it too late? " "No; uncle always sits up late reading, and aunt will be glad to see you." " Then I will come in for a few minutes." Ben's few minutes extended to three-quarters of an hour. When he came out, the moon was obscured and it was quite dark. Ben had not gone far when he heard steps behind him, and presently a hand was laid on his shoulder. "Hello, boy!" said a rough voice. Ben started, and, turning suddenly, recognized, in spite of the darkness, the tramp who had attempted to rob him dur- ing the day. He paused, uncertain whether he was not going to be attacked, but the tramp laughed reassuringly. " Don't be afraid, boy," he said. " I owe you some money^ and here it is." He pressed into the hand of the astonished Ben the dollar which our hero had given him. " I don't think it will do me any good," he said. " Fve given it back, and now you can't say I robbed you." " You are a strange man," said Ben. " I'm not so bad as I look," said the tramp. " Some day, I may do you a service. I'm goin' out of town to-night, and you'll hear from me again some time." He turned swiftly, and Ben lost sight of him. THE STORE BOY 33 CHAPTER VII THE TRAMP MAKES ANOTHER CALL My readers will naturally be surprised at the tramp's res- titution of a coin, which, though counterfeit, he would prob- ably have managed to pass, but this chapter will throw some light on his mysterious conduct. When he made a sudden exit from Mrs. Barclay's house, upon the appearance of the squire and his friend, he did not leave the premises, but posted himself at a window, slightly open, of the room in which the widow received her new vis- itors. He listened with a smile to the squire's attempt to force Mrs. Barclay to sell her house. "He's a sly old rascal!" thought the tramp. "I'll put a spoke in his wheel." When the squire and his wife's cousin left the house, the tramp followed at a little distance. Not far from the squire's handsome residence Kirk left him, and the tramp then came boldly forward. " Good-evenin'," he said familiarly. Squire Davenport turned sharply, and as his eye fell on the unprepossessing figure, he instinctively put his hand in the pocket in which he kept his wallet. "Who are you?" he demanded, apprehensively. " I ain't a thief, and you needn't fear for your wallet," iwas the reply. "Let me pass, fellow! I can do nothing for you." "We'll see about that!" "Do you threaten me? " asked Squire Davenport, in alarm. "Not at all; but I've got some business with you — some 'important business." " Then call to-morrow forenoon," said Davenport, anxious to get rid of his ill-looking acquaintance. "That won't do; I want to leave town to-night." " That's nothing to me." " It may be," said the tramp, significantly. " I want to speak to you about the husband of the woman you called on to-night." "The husband of Mrs. Barclay! Why, he is dead!" ejacu- lated the squire, in surprise. " That is true. Do you know whether he left any prop- iBTty? " " No. I believe not." " That's what I want to talk about. You'd better see me iD-night." There was significance in the tone of the tramp, and Squire Davenport looked at him searchingly. " Why don't you go and see Mrs. Barclay about this mat- ter? " he asked. 34 THE STORE BOY " I may, but I think you'd better see me first." By this time they had reached the squire's gate. " Come in," he said, briefly. The squire led the way into a comfortable sitting-room, and his rough visitor followed him. By the light of an as-* tral lamp Squire Davenport looked at him. "Did I ever see you before?" he asked. " Probably not." Then I don't see what business we can have together. 1 am tired, and wish to go to bed." " I'll come to business at once, then. When John Barclay died, in Chicago, a wallet was found in his pocket, and in that wallet was a promissory note for a thousand dollars, signed by you. I suppose you have paid that sum to the widow? " Squire Davenport was the picture of dismay. He had meanly ignored the note, with the intention of cheating Mrs. Barclay. He had supposed it was lost; yet here, after some years, appeared a man who knew of it. As Mr. Barclay had been reticent about his business affairs, he had never told his wife about having deposited this sum with Squire Dav- enport, an J of this fact the squire had meanly taken advan- tage. " What proof have you of this strange and improbable story?" asked the squire, after a nervous pause. " The best of proof," answered the tramp, promptly. " The note was found, and is now in existence." " Who holds it^that is, admitting for a moment the truth; of your story? " "I do; it is in my pocket at this moment." At this moment Tom Davenport opened the door of the apartment, and stared in open-eyed amazement at his fa-i ther's singular visitor. " Leave the room, Tom," said his father, hastily. " This man is consulting me on business." " Is that your son, squire? " asked the tramp, with a fa- miliar nod. " He's quite a young swell." " What business can my father have with such a cad? " thought Tom, disgusted. Tom was pleased, nevertheless, at being taken for "a young swell." CHAPTER VIII SQUIRE DAVENPORT'S FINANCIAL OPERATION Squire Davenport was a thoroughly respectable man in the estimation of the community. That such a man was capable of defrauding a poor widow, counting on her THE STORE BOY 35 ignorance, would have plunged all his friends and acquaint- ances into the profoundest amazement. Yet this was precisely what the squire had done. Mr. Barclay, who had prospered beyond his wife's knowl- edge, found himself seven years before in possession of a thousand dollars in hard cash. Knowing that the squire had a better knowledge of suitable investments than he, he went to him one day and asked advice. Now, the squire was fond of money. When he saw the ample roll of bank notes which his neighbor took from his wallet, he felt a desire to possess them. They would not be his, to be sure, but merely to have them under his control seemed pleasant. So he said: " Friend Barclay, I should need time to consider that ques- tion. Are you in any hurry?" " I should like to get the money out of my possession. I might lose it or have it stolen. Besides, I don't want my wife to discover that I have it," " It might make her extravagant, perhaps," suggested the squire. " No, I am not afraid of that; but I want some day to sur- prise her by letting her see that I am a richer man than she thinks." "Very judicious! Then no one knows that you have the money?" "No one; I keep my business to myself." " You are a wise man. I'll tell you what I will do, friend Barclay. While I am not prepared to recommend any par- ticular investment, I will take the money and give you my note for it, agreeing to pay six per cent, interest. Of course I shall invest it in some way, and I may gain or I may lose, but even if I do lose you will be safe, for you will have my note, and will receive interest semi-annually." The proposal struck Mr. Barclay favorably. " I suppose I can have the money when I want it again? " he inquired. "Oh, certainly! I may require a month's notice to realize on securities; but if I have the money in bank I won't even ask that." " Then take the money, squire, and give me the note." So, in less than five minutes, the money found its way into Squire Davenport's strong box, and Mr. Barclay left the squire's presence well satisfied, with his note of hand in place of his roll of greenbacks. Nearly two years passed. Interest was paid punctually three times, and another payment was all but due when the unfortunate cerditor died in Chicago. Then it was that a terrible temptation assailed Squire Davenport. No one knew of the trust his neighbor had reposed in him — not even his wife. Of course, if the note was found in his pocket, all .would be known. But perhaps it would not be known. In 36 THE STORE BOY that case, the thousand dollars and thirty dollars interest might be retained without any one being the wiser. It is only fair to say that Squire Davenport's face flushed with shame as the unworthy thought came to him, but still he did not banish it. He thought the matter over, and the more he thought the more unwilling he was to give up this sum, which all at once had become dearer to him than all the rest of his possessions. " I'll wait to see whether the note is found," he said to himself. " Of course if it is, I will pay it " That is, he would pay it if he were obliged to do it. Poor Barclay was buried in Chicago — it would have been too expensive to bring on the body — and pretty soon it trans- pired that he had left no property, except the modest cot- tage in which his widow and son continued to live. Poor Mrs. Barclay! Everybody pitied her, and lamented her straitened circumstances. Squire Davenport kept si- lence, and thought, with guilty joy, " They haven't found the note; I can keep the money, and no one will be the wiser! " How a rich man could have been guilty of such consum- mate meanness I will not undertake to explain, but " the love of money is the root of evil," and Squire Davenport had love of money in no common measure. Five years passed. Mrs. Barclay was obliged to mortgage her house to obtain the means of living, and the very man who supplied her with the money was the very man whom her husband had blindly trusted. She little dreamed that it was her own money he was doling out to her. In fact. Squire Davenport himself had almost forgotten it. He had come to consider the thousand dollars and interest fully and absolutely his own, and had no apprehension that his mean fraud would ever be discovered. Like a thunderbolt, then, came to him the declaration of his unsavory visitor that the note was in existence, and was in the hands of a man who meant to use it. Smitten with sudden panic, he stared in the face of the tramp. But he was not going to give up without a struggle. " You are evidently trying to impose upon me," he said, mentally bracing up. " You wish to extort money from me." " So I do," said the tramp, quietly. "Ha! you admit it?" exclaimed the squire. " Certainly; I wouldn't have taken the trouble to come here at great expense and inconvenience, if I hadn't been expecting to make some money." " Then you've come to the wrong person; I repeat it, you've come to the wrong person!" said the squire, straightening his back and eying his companion sternly. " I begin to think I have/' assented the visitor. " Ha! he weakens! " thought Squire Davenport. " My good man, I recommend you to turn over a new leaf, and seek to THE STORE BOY 39 ^^^^' No " on " ^* u' That IS strange," said Ben, thoughtfully. " Do you know, «« jother, I met him on my way home, or rather, he came up (ihind me and tapped me on the shoulder." si\ " What did he say? " asked Mrs. Barclay, eagerly. " He gave me back the bogus dollar he took from me, say- „„ g, with a laugh, that it would be of no use to him. Then gQj^ said he might do me a service some time, and I would "me day hear from him." pgj.," Ben, I think that man took the papers from the pocket ^ "'your dying father, and has them now in his possession. «jl promised to sell me a secret for money, but I told him " jad none to give." mus' ^ "^^'ish v,e could see him again, but he said he should " ye town to-night. But, mother, what was the bad news the : spoke of?" "jBen, I am afraid we are going to lose our home," said jjgQ^jWidow, the look of trouble returning to her face. "gWhat do you mean, mother?" fQj, vYou know that Squire Davenport has a mortgage on the jjj ace for seven hundred dollars; he was here to-night with (jj- man named Kirk, some connection of his wife. It seems ark is coming to Pentcnville to live, and wants this house." Y " He will have to want it, mother," said Ben, stoutly. I "Not if tlie squire backs him, as he does; he threatens jjto foreclose tlie mortgage if I don't sell." Ben comprehended the situation now, and appreciated its (j(.Tavity.- ^ . " What does he offer, mother?" „j-i"A thousand dollars only — perhaps a little more." ^gj^"\Vhy that would be downright robberj." "■■' Not in the eye of the law. Ben, we are in the power of takf^^^® Davenport, and he is a hard man." half ^ would like to give him a piece of my mind, mother. "-^might be in better business than robbing you of your " Y('^o nothing hastily, Ben. There is only one thing that cantlv '^ do to save the house, and that is, to induce some one my tei '^^^^6 the money necessary to take up the mortgage." In thi"^ y°^ think of anybody who would do it? " lars anQ^^^^'^y shook her head. inat'ion i'® *^ ^^ *-"^^ '''^ Pentonville Who would be willing, and " Now " ^o^ey/' she said. " I have a rich cousin in New foreer " ' ^ have not met him since I was married; he ' Go'od-evc^®^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^® once, but I suppose he scarcely nodding to t'^^ now. He lived, when I last heard of him, on anma Hmo » ^uuc, and his name is Absalom Peters." "t* rich'?" If you come ■ i: t x, t „ "So much the*^'^' ^ believe." TiavQ omnvori rr,v t miud to ask for a day's vacation frona Mr, nave enjoy ea my ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^„ 40 THE STORE BOY " I am afraid it would do no good." " It would do no harm, except that it would cost some- thing for traveling expenses. But I would go as econom- ically as possible. Have I your permission, mother?" "You can do as you like, Ben; I won't forbid you, though I have little hope of its doing any good." " Then I will try and get away Monday. To-morrow is Saturday, and I can't be spared at the store; there is always more doing, you know, on Saturday than any other day." " I don't feel like giving any advice, Ben. Do as you please." The next day, on his way home to dinner, Ben met his young rival of the evening previous, Tom Davenport. " How are you, Tom? " said Ben, nodding. " I want to speak to you, Ben Barclay," said the young aristocrat, pausing in his walk. "Go ahead! I'm listening," said Ben. Tom was rather annoyed at the want of respect which, in his opinion, Ben showed him, but hardly knew how to ex- press his objections, so he came at once to the business in hand. " You'd better not hang around Rose Gardiner so much," he said, superciliously. " What do you mean by that? " demanded Ben, quickly. " You forced your attentions on her last evening at the Town Hall." " Who told you so? " " I saw it for myself." *' I thought Rose didn't tell you so." " It must be disagreeable to her family to have a common grocer's boy seen with her." " It seems to me you take a great deal of interest in the matter, Tom Davenport, You talk as if you were the guar- dian of the young lady. I believe you wanted to go home with her yourself." " It would have been much more suitable, but you had m'ade her promise to go with you." " I would have released her from her promise at once, if she had expressed a wish to that effect. Now, Tom Dav- enport, I want to give you a piece of advice." " I don't want any of your advice," said Tom, loftily. " I don't want any advice from a store boy." " I'll give it to you all the same. You can make money by minding your own business." "You are impudent!" said Tom, flushing with anger. " I've got something more to tell you. You'll be out on the sidewalk before three months are over. Father is going to foreclose the mortgage on your house." "That remains to be seen!" said Ben, but his heart sank within him as he realized that the words would probably prove true. THE STORE BOY '^41 CHAPTER X BEN GOES TO NEW YORK Pentonville was thirty-five miles distant from New York, and the fare was a dollar, but an excursion ticket, carrying a passenger both ways, was only a dollar and a half. Ben calculated that his extra expenses, including dinner, might amount to fifty cents, thus making the cost of the trip two dollars. This sum, small as it was, appeared large both to Ben and his mother. Some doubts about the expediency of the journey suggested themselves to Mrs. Barclay. "Do you think you had better go, Ben?" she said, doubt- fully. " Two dollars would buy you some new stockings and handkerchiefs." " I will do without them, mother. Something has got to be done, or we shall be turned into the street when three months are up. Squire Davenport is a very selfish man, and he will care nothing for our comfort or convenience." " That is true," said the widow, with a sigh. " If I thought your going to New York would do any good, I would not grudge you the money " " Something will turn up, or I will turn up something," said Ben, confidently. When he asked Mr. Crawford for a day off, the latter re- sponded : " Yes, Ben, I think I can spare you, as Monday is not a very busy day. Would you be willing to do an errand for me?" " Certainly, Mr. Crawford, with pleasure." " I need a new supply of prints. Go to Stackpole & Rogers, No. — White Street, and select me some attractive patterns. I shall rely upon your taste." " Thank you, sir," said Ben, gratified by the compliment. He received instructions as to price and quantity, which he carefully noted down. " As it will save me a journey, not to speak of my time, I am willing to pay your fare one way." " Thank you, sir; you are very kind." Mr. Crawford took from the money drawer a dollar, and handed it to Ben. " But I buy an excursion ticket, so that my fare each way will be but seventy-five cents." " Never mind, the balance will go toward your dinner." " There, mother, what do you say now? " said Ben, on Sat- urday night. " Mr. Crawford is going to pay half my ex- penses, and I am going to buy some goods for him." " I am glad he reposes so much confidence in you, Ben, I hope you won't lose his money." " Oh, I don't carry any. He buys on thirty days. All I have to do is to select the goods." 42 THE STORE BOY " Perhaps it is for the best that you go, after all," said Mrs. Barclay. " At any rate, I hope so." At half-past seven o'clock on Monday morning Ben stood on the platform of the Pentonville station, awaiting the ar- rival of the train. " Where are you going? " said a voice. Ben, turning, saw that it was Tom Davenport who had spoken. " I am going to New York," he answered, briefly. " Has Crawford discharged you? " "Why do you ask? Would you like to apply for the po- sition?" asked Ben, coolly. " Do you think I would condescend to be a grocer's boy? " returned Tom, disdainfully. " I don't know." " If I go into business it will be as a merchant." " I am glad to hear it." "You didn't say what you were going to New York for?" "I have no objection to tell you, as you are anxious to know; I am going to the city to buy goods." Tom looked not only amazed but incredulous. " That's a likely story," said he, after a pause. " It is a true story." " Do you mean to say Crawford trusts you to buy goods for him? " " So it seems." " He must be getting weak-headed." " Suppose you call and give him that gratifying piece of information." Just then the train came thundering up, and Ben jumped aboard. Tom Davenport looked after him with a puzzled glance. " I wonder whether that boy tells the truth," he said to himself. " He thinks too much of himself, considering what he is." It never occurred to Tom that the remark would apply even better to him than the boy he was criticising. As a rule we are the last to recognize our ov^m faults, however quick we may be to see the faults of others. Two hours later Ben stood in front of the large drygoods jobbing house of Stackpole & Rogers, in White Street. He ascended a staircase to the second floor, which was yery spacious and filled with goods in great variety. "Where is the department of prints?" he inquired of a young man near the door. He was speedily directed and went over at once. He showed the salesman in charge a letter from Mr. Crawford, authorizing him to select a certain amount of goods. " You are rather a young buyer," said the salesman, smil- ing. " It is the first time I have served in that way," said THE STORE BOY 43 Ben, modestly; " but I know pretty well what Mr. Crawford wants." Half an hour was consumed in making his selections. " You have good taste," said the salesman, " judging from your selections." " Thank you." " If you ever come to the city to look for work, come here, and I will introduce you to the firm." "Thank you. How soon can you ship the goods?" " I am afraid not to-day, as we are very busy. Early next week we will send them." His business concluded, Ben left the store and walked up to Broadway. The crowded thoroughfare had much to in- terest him. He was looking in at a window when some oii.© tapped him on the shoulder. It was a young man foppishly attired, who was smiling graciously upon him. " Why, Gus Andre," he said, " when did you come to town, and how did you leave all the folks in Bridgeport?" " You have made a mistake," said Ben. " Isn't your name Gus Andre? " " No, it is Ben Barclay, from Pentonville." " I really beg your pardon. You look surprisingly like my; friend Gussie." Five minutes later there was another tap on our hero's shoulder, as he was looking into another window, and an- other nicely dressed young man said, heartily : " Why, Ben, my boy, when did you come to town? " " This morning," answered Ben. " You seem to know me, but I can't remember you." "Are you not Ben Barclay, of Pentonville?" "Yes, but " "Don't you remember Jim Fisher, who passed part of the summer, two years since, in your village?" " Where were you staying? " asked Ben. It was the other's turn to look confused. "At — the Smiths'," he answered, at random. " At Mrs. Roxana Smith's ? " suggested Ben. " Yes, yes," said the other, eagerly, " she is my aunt." " Is she? " asked Ben, with a smile of amusement, for he had by this time made up his mind as to the character of his new friend. " She must be proud of her stylish nephew. Mrs. Smith is a poor widow, and takes in washing," " It's some other Smith," said the young man, discomfited. " She is the only one by that name in Pentonville." Jim Fisher, as he called himself, turned upon his heel and left Ben without a word. It was clear that nothing could be made out of him. Ben walked all the way up Broadway, as far as Twenty- first Street, into whicl^ he turned, and walked eastward until he reached Gramercy Park, opposite which Lexington Av- 44 THE STORE BOY enue starts. In due time he reached the house of Mr. Ab- salom Peters, and, ascending the steps, he rang the bell. " Is Mr. Peters in?" he asked of the servant who answered the bell. " No." " Will he be in soon?" " L guess not. He sailed for Europe last week." Ben's heart sank within him. He had hoped much from Mr. Peters, before whom he meant to lay all the facts of his mother's situation. Now that hope was crushed. He turned, and slowly descended the steps. " There goes our last chance of saving the house," he said to himself, sadly. CHAPTER XI THE MADISON AVENUE STAGE Ben was naturally hopeful, but he had counted more than he was aware on the chance of obtaining assistance from Absalom Peters toward paying off his mother's mortgage. As Mr. Peters was in Europe nothing could be done, and there seemed absolutely no one else to apply to. They had friends, of course, and warm ones, in Pentonville, but none that were able to help them. " I suppose we must make up our minds to lose the house," thought Ben. " Squire Davenport is selfish and grasping, and there is little chance of turning him." He walked westward till he reached Madison Avenue. A stage approached, being bound downtown^ and, feeling tired, he got in. The fare was but five cents, and he was willing to pay it. Some half dozen other passengers beside himself were in the stage. Opposite Ben sat a handsomely dressed, some- what portly lady, of middle age, with a kindly expression. Next her sat a young man, attired fashionably, who had the appearance of belonging to a family of position. There were, besides, an elderly man, of clerical appearance; a nurse with a small child, a business man, intent upon the financial column of a leading paper, and a schoolboy. Ben regarded his fellow-passengers with interest. In Pentonville he seldom saw a new face. Here all were new. Our young hero was, though he did not know it, an embryo student of human nature. He liked to observe men and women of different classes and speculate upon their prob- able position and traits. It so happened that his special attention was attracted to the fashionably-attired young man. THE STORE BOY 45 " I suppose he belongs to a rich family, and has plenty of money," thought Ben. " It must be pleasant to be born with a gold, spoon in your mouth, and know that you are provided for life." If Ben had been wiser he would have judged differently. To be born to wealth removes all the incentives to action, and checks the spirit of enterprise. A boy or a man who fmds himself gradually rising in the world, through his own exertions, experiences a satisfaction unknown to one whose fortune is ready made. However, in Ben's present strait it is no wonder he regarded with envy the supposed young man of fortune. Our hero was destined to be strangely surprised. His eyes were unusually keen, and enabled him after a while to observe some rather remarkable movements on the part of the young man. Though his eyes were looking elsewhere, Ben could see that his right hand was stealthily insinuating itself into the pocket of the richly-dressed lady at his side. " Is it possible that he is a pickpocket? " thought Ben, in amazement. "So nicely dressed as he is, too!" It did not occur to Ben that he dressed well the better to avert suspicion from his real character. Besides, a man who lives at other people's expense can afford to dress well. "What shall I do?" thought Ben, disturbed in mind. " Ought I not to warn the lady that she is in danger of losing her money? " While he was hesitating the deed was accomplished. A pearl portemonnaie was adroitly drawn from the lady's pocket and transferred to that of the young man. It was done with incredible swiftness, but Ben's sharp eyes saw it. The young man yawned, and, turning away from the lady appeared to be looking out of a window at the head of the coach. " Why, there is Jack Osborne," he said, half audibly, and, rising, pulled the strap for the driver to stop the stage. Then was the critical moment for Ben. Was he to allow the thief to escape with the money? Ben hated to get into a disturbance, but he felt that it would be wrong and cow- ardly to be silent. " Before you get out," he said, " hand that lady her pocket- book." The face of the pickpocket changed and he darted a ma- lignant glance at Ben. "What do you mean, you young scoundrel?" he said. " You have taken that lady's pocketbook," persisted Ben. "Do you mean to insult me?" " I saw you do it." With a half exclamation of anger, the young man darted to the door. But he w^.s brought to a standstill by the busi- ness man, who placed' himself in his way. " Not so fast, young man," he said, resolutely. 46 THE STOHE BOY "Out of the way!" exclaimed the thief, in a rage. "It's all a base lie. I never was so insulted in my life." "Do you miss your pocketbook, madam?." asked the gen- tleman, turning to the lady who had been robbed. " Yes," she answered. " It was in the pocket next to this man." The thief seeing there was no hope of retaining his booty, •drew it from hisi pocket and flung it into the lady's lap. "Now, may I go?" he said. There was no policeman in sight, and at a nod from the lady, the pickpocket was allowed to leave the stage. " You ought to have had him arrested. He is a dangerous character," said the gentleman who had barred his progress. " It would have been inconvenient for me to appear against him," said the lady. " I am willing to let him go." " Well, there is one comfort — if he keeps on he will be hauled up sooner or later," remarked the gentleman. "Would your loss have been a heavy one?" he inquired. " I had quite a large sum in my pocketbook, over two hun- dred dollars. But for my young friend opposite," she said, nodding kindly at Ben, " I should have lost it with very small chance of recovery." " I am glad to have done you a service, madam," said Ben, politely. " I know it is rather imprudent to carry so large a sum about with me," continued the lady, " but I have a payment to make to a carpenter who has done work in my house, and I thought he might not find it convenient to use a check." "A lady is in more danger than a gentleman," observed the business man, " as she cannot so well hide away her pocketbook. You will need to be careful as you walk along the street." " I think it will be best to have a neighbor whom I can trust," said the lady. " Would you mind taking this seat at my side?" she continued, addressing Ben. " I will change with pleasure," said our hero, taking the seat recently vacated by the pickpocket. " You have sharp eyes, my young friend," said his new acquaintance. " My eyes are pretty good," said Ben, with a smile. " They have done me good service to-day. May I know to whom I am indebted for such timely help?" "My name is Benjamin Barclay." "Do you live in the city?" " No, madam. I live in Pentonville, about thirty miles ffrom New York." " I have heard of the place. Are you proposing to live here?" " No, madam. I came in to-day on a little business of my own, and also to select some goods for a country store in which I am employed." THE STORE BOY 47 " You are rather young for such a commission." " I know the sort of goods Mr. Crawford sells, so it was not very difficult to make the selection." " At what time do you go back? " " By the four o'clock train." " Have you anything to do meanwhile? " " No, madam," answered Ben, a little surprised. " Then I should like to have you accompany me to the place where I am to settle my bill. I feel rather timid after my adventure with our late fellow-passenger." " I shall be very happy to oblige you, madam," said Ben, politely. He had just heard a public clock strike one and he knew, therefore, that he would have plenty of time. CHAPTER XII ben's luck "We will get out here," said Mrs. Hamilton. They had reached the corner of Fourth Street and Broad- way. Ben pulled the strap, and with his new friend left the stage. He offered his hand politely to assist the lady in descending. " He is a little gentleman," thought Mrs. Hamilton, who was much pleased with our hero. They turned from Broadway eastward, and presently crossed the Bowery also. Not far to the east of the last av- enue they came to a carpenter's shop. Mr. Plank, a middle-aged, honest-looking mechanic, looked up in surprise when Mrs. Hamilton entered the shop. "You didn't expect a call from me?" said the lady, pleas- antly. " No, ma'am. Fashionable ladies don't often find their way over here." " Then don't look upon me as a fashionable lady. I like to attend to my business myself, and have brought you the money for your bill." " Thank you, ma'am. You never made me wait. But I am sorry you had the trouble to come to my shop. I would have called at your house if you had sent me a postal." " My time is not so valuable as yours, Mr. Plank. I must tell you, however, that you came near not getting your money this morning. Ajiother person undertook to collect your bill." " Who was it? " demanded the carpenter, indignantly. " If 48 THE STORE BOY there's anybody playing such tricks on me I'll have him up before the courts." " It was no acquaintance of yours. The person in ques- tion had no spite against you and you would only have suf- fered a little delay." Then Mrs. Hamilton explained how a pickpocket had un- dertaken to relieve her of her wallet, and would have suc- ceeded but for her young companion. " Oh, they're mighty sharp, ma'am, I can tell you," said the carpenter. " I never lost anything, because I don't look as if I had anything worth stealing; but if one of those ras- cals made up his mind to rob me, ten to one he'd do it." Mr. Plank receipted his bill and Mrs. Hamilton paid him a hundred and eighty-seven dollars and fifty cents. Ben could not help envying him, as he saw the roll of bills trans- ferred to him. " I hope the work was done satisfactory," said Mr. Plank. (Perfect grammar could not be expected of a man who, fi^om the age of twelve, had been forced to earn his own living.) " Quite so, Mr. Plank," said the lady, graciously. " I shall send for you when I have any more work to be done." There was no more business to attend to, and Mrs, Hamil- ton led the way out, accompanied by Ben. " I will trouble you to see me as far as Broadway," said the lady. " I am not used to this neighborhood and prefer to have an escort." " I didn't think this morning," said Ben to himself, " that a rich lady would select me as her escort." On the whole he liked it. It gave him a feeling of im- portance, and a sense of responsibility which a manly boy always likes. " I shall be glad to stay with you as long as you like," said Ben. " Thank you, Benjamin, or, shall I say Ben? " " I wish you would. I hardly know myself when I am called Benjamin." " As we are walking alone, suppose you tell me something of yourself. I only know your name, and that you live in Pentonville. What relations have you?" "A mother only — my father is dead." "And you help take care of your mother, I suppose?" "Yes; father left us nothing except the house we live in, or, at least, we could get track of no other property. He died In Chicago suddenly." " I hope you are getting along comfortably — ^you and your mother," said Mrs. Hamilton, kindly. " We have our troubles," answered Ben. " We are in dan- ger of having our house taken from us." "How is that?" " A rich man in our village, Squire Davenport, has a mort- gage of seven hundred dollars upon it. He wants the house THE STORE BOY 49 for a relative of his wife, and threatens to foreclose at the end of three months." " The house must be worth a good deal more than the mortgage?" " It is worth twice as much; but if it is put up at auction I doubt if it will fetch over a thousand dollars." "This would leave your mother but three hundred?" " Yes," answered Ben, despondingly. " Have you thought of any way of raising the money? " "Yes; I came up to the city to-day to see a cousin of mother's, a Mr. Absalom Peters, who lives on Lexington Av- enue, and I had just come from there when I got into the stage with you." "Won't he help you?" "Perhaps he might if he was in the city; though mother has seen nothing of him for twenty years; but, unfortunately, he just sailed for Europe." " That is indeed a pity. I suppose you haven't much hope now?" " Unless Mr. Peters comes back. He is the only one we can think of to call upon." " What sort of a man is this Squire Davenport? " " He is a very selfish man, who thinks only of his own in- terest. We felt safe, because we did not suppose he would have any use for a small house like ours; but night before last he called on mother with the man he wants it for." "He cannot foreclose just yet, can he?" asked Mrs. Ham- ilton. " No ; we have three months to look around." " Three months is a long time," said the lady, cheerfully. " A good deal can happen in three months. Do the best you can, and keep up hope." "I shall try to do so." " You have reason to do so. You may not save your house, but you have, probably, a good many years before you, and plenty of good fortune may be in store for you." The cheerful tone in which the lady spoke somehow made Ben hopeful and sanguine, at any rate, for the time being. " In this country, the fact that you are a poor boy will not stand in the way of your success. The most eminent men of the day, in all branches of business, and in all professions, were once poor boys. I dare say, looking at me, you don't suppose I ever knew anything of poverty." " No," said Ben. " Yet I was the daughter of a bankrupt farmer and my husband was clerk in ^ country store. I am not going to tell you how he came to the city and prospered, leaving me, at his death, rich beyond my needs. Yet that is his history and mine. Does it encourage you?" " Yes, it does," answered Ben, earnestly. " It is for that reason, perhaps, that I take an interest in 50 THE STORE BOY country boys who are placed as my husband once was," con- tinued Mrs, Hamilton. " But here we are at Broadway. Iti only remains to express my acknowledgment of your timely; assistance." " You are quite welcome," said Ben. " I am sure of that, but I am none the less indebted. Do me the favor to accept this." She opened her portemonnaie, and taking from it a bank' note, handed it to Ben. In surprise he looked at it, and saw that it was a twenty- dollar bill. " Did you know ttiis was a twenty-dollar bill? " he asked, in amazement. " Certainly," answered the lady, with a smile. " It is less than ten per cent, on the amount I would have lost but for you. I hope it will be of service to you." " I feel rich with it," answered Ben. " How can I thank you, Mrs. Hamilton?" " Call on me at No. — Madison Avenue, and do it in per- son, when you next come to the city," said the lady, smiling. " Now, if you will kindly call that stage, I will bid you good- by — for the present." Ben complied with her request, and joyfully resumed his walk down Broadway. CHAPTER XIII A STARTLING EVENT Though Ben had failed in the main object of his expedi- tion, he returned to Pentonville in excellent spirits. He felt that he had been a favorite of fortune, and with good reason. In one day he had acquired a sum equal to five weeks' wages. Added to the dollar Mr. Crawford had contributed toward his expenses, he had been paid twenty-one dollars, while he had spent a little less than two. It is not every country boy who goes up to the great city who returns with an equal harvest. If Squire Davenport had not threatened to fore- close the mortgage, he would have felt justified in buying a present for his mother. As it was, he feared they would have need of all the money that came in to meet contingen- cies. The train reached Pentonville at five o'clock, and about the usual time Ben opened the gate and walked up to the front door of his modest home. He looked so bright and cheerful when he entered her presence that Mrs. Barclay thought he must have found and been kindly received by the cousin whom he had gone up to seek. THE STORE BOY 51 "Did you see Mr. Peters?" she asked, anxiously. "No, mother; he is in Europe." A shadow came over the mother's face. It was like tak- ing from her her last hope. " I was afraid you would not be repaid for going up to the city," she said. " I made a pretty good day's work of it, nevertheless, mother. What do you say to this?" and he opened his wal- let and showed her a roll of bills. " Is that Mr. Crawford's money? " she asked. " No, mother, it is mine, or rather it is yours, for I give it to you." "Did you find a pocketbook, Ben? If so, the owner may turn up." " Mother, the money is mine, fairly mine, for it was given me in return for a service I rendered a lady in New York." " What service could you have possibly rendered, Ben, that merited such liberal payment? " asked his mother, in sur- prise. Upon this Ben explained, and Mrs. Barclay listened to his story with wonder. " So you see, mother, I did well to go to the city," said 'Ben, in Conclusion. " It has turned out so, and I am thankful for your good fortune. But I should have been better pleased if you had seen Mr. Peters and found him willing to help us about the mortgage." " So would I, mother, but this money is worth having. When supper is over I will go to the store to help out Mr. Crawford and report my purchase of goods. You know the most of our trade is in the evening." After Ben had gone Mrs. Barclay felt her spirits return as she thought of the large addition to their little stock of money. " One piece of good fortune may be followed by another," she thought. " Mr. Peters may return from Europe in time to help us. At any rate, we have nearly three months to look about us, and God may send us help." When the tea dishes were washed and put away Mrs. Barclay sat down to mend a pair of Ben's socks, for in thai household it was necessary to make clothing last as long as possible, when she was aroused from her work by a ring- ing at the bell. She opened the door to admit Squire Davenport. " Good-evening," she said, rather coldly, for she could not feel friendly to a man who was conspiring to deprive her of her modest home arfd turn her out upon the sidewalk. " Good-evening, widow," said the squire. " Will you walk in? " asked Mrs. Barclay, not over cor- dially. [ "Thank you, I will step in for five minutes. I called to 52 THE STORE BOY see if you had thought better of my proposal the other evening." " Your proposal was to take my house from me," said Mrs. Barclay. " How can you suppose I would think better of that? " " You forget that the house is more mine than yours already, Mrs. Barclay. The sum I have advanced on mort- gage is two-thirds of the value of the property." " I dispute that, sir." " Let it pass," said the squire, with a wave of the hand. " Call it three-fifths, if you will. Even then the property is more mine than yours. Women don't understand busi- ness, or you would see matters in a different light." " I am a woman, it is true, but I understand very well that you wish to take advantage of me," said the widow, not without excusable bitterness of tone. " My good lady, you forget that I am ready to cancel the mortgage and pay you three hundred and fifty dollars for the house. Now, three hundred and fifty dollars is a hand- some sum — a very handsome sum. You could put it in the savings bank and it would yield you quite a comfortable in- come." " Twenty dollars, more or less," said Mrs. Barclay. " Is . that what you call a comfortable income? How long do you think it would keep us alive? " " Added, of course, to your son's wages. Ben is now able to earn good wages." " He earns four dollars a week, and that is our main de- pendence." " I congratulate you. I didn't suppose Mr. Crawford paid such high wages." " Ben earns every cent of it." " Very possibly. By the way, what is this that Tom was telling me about Ben being sent to New York to buy goods for the store? " " It is true, if that is what you mean." "Bless my soul! It is very strange of Crawford, and, I may add, not very judicious." " I suppose Mr. Crawford is the best judge of that, sir." " Even if the boy were competent, which is not for a mo- ment to be thought of, it is calculated to foster his self- conceit." "Ben is not self-conceited," said Mrs. Barclay, ready to resent any slur upon her boy. " He has excellent business capacity, and if he were older I should not need to ask favors of any one." " You are a mother, and naturally set an exaggerated es- timate upon your son's ability, which, I presume, is respec- , table, but probably not more. However, let that pass. I did i not call to discuss Ben, but to inquire whether you had not i thought better of the matter we discussed the other evening." THE STORE BOY 53 ■i " I never shall, Squire Davenport. When the time comes you can foreclose, if you like, but it will never be done with my consent." " Ahem ! Your consent will not be required." "And let me tell you, Squire Davenport, if you do this wicked thing, it won't benefit you in the end." Squire Davenport shrugged his shoulders. " I am not at all surprised to And you so unreasonable, Mrs. Barclay," he said. " It's the way with women. I should be glad if you would come to look upon the matter in a dif- ferent light; but I cannot sacrifice my own interests in any event. The law is on my side." " The law may be on your side, but the law upholds a great deal that is oppressive and cruel." " A curious set of laws we should have if women made them," said the squire. " They would not bear so heavily upon the poor as they do now." " Well, I won't stop to discuss the matter. If you come to entertain different views about the house, send me word by Ben, and we will arrange the details without delay. Mr. Kirk is anxious to move his family as soon as possible, aim would like to secure the house at once." " He will have to wait three months at least," said Mrs. Barclay, coldly. " For that time, I believe, the law pro- tects me." "You are right there; but at the end of that time you cannot expect as liberal terms as we are now prepared to offer you." "Liberal!" repeated the widow, in a meaning tone. " So I regard it," said the squire, stiffly. " Good-evening." An hour later Mrs. Barclay's reflections were broken in upon by the ominous clang of the engine bell. This is a sound which always excites alarm in a country village. " Where's the fire? " she asked, anxiously, of a boy who was running by the house. " It's Crawford's store ! " was the startling reply. " It's blazin' up like anything. Guess it'll have to go." " I hope Ben'll keep out of danger," thought Mrs. Bar- clay, as she hurriedly took her shawl and bonnet and started for the scene of excitement. CHAPTER XrV BEN SHOWS HIMSELF A HERO A FIRE in a country village, particularly where the build- ing is a prominent one, is sure to attract a large part of the resident population. Men, women and children, as weU 54 THE STORE BOY as the hook and ladder company, hurried to the scene of conflagration. Everybody felt a personal interest in Craw- ford s. It was the great emporium which provided all the families in the village with articles of prime and secondary necessity. If Paris can be called France, then Crawford's might be called Pentpnville. "Crawford's on fire!" exclaimed old Capt. Manson. "Bless my soul! It cannot be true. Where's my cane?" "You don't mean to say you're goin' to the fire, father?" asked his widowed daughter, in surprise, for the captain had bowed beneath the weight of eighty-six winters, and rarely left the domestic hearth. " Do you think I'd stay at home when Crawford's was a-burnin' ? " r-eturned the captain. " But remen.;/jer, father, you ain't so young as you used to be. You might catch your death of cold." "Vv'hat! at a fire?" exclaimed the old man, laughing at his own joke. " You know what I mean. It's dreadfully imprudent. V/hy, I wouldn't go myself." " ^^houldn't think you would, at your time of life!" re-. torted her father, chuckling. £o tl:e old man em.erged into the street, raid hurried as fast as his unsteady limbs would allow, to the fire. "How did it catch?" the reader will naturally ask. The young man, who was the only other salesman besides Ben and the proprietor, had gone down cellar smoking a cigar. In one corner was a heap of shavings and loose pa- pers. A spr.rk from his cigar must have fallen there. Had he noticed it, with prompt measures the incipient fire might have been extinguished. But he went upstairs with the kerosene, Y',i:;ioh he had drawn for old Mrs. Watts, leaving behind him liie seeds of destruction. Soon the flames, aris- ing, caught the vrooden flooring of the upper store. The smell of the smoke notifled Crawford and his clerks of the impending disaster. When the door communicating with the basement was opened, a stifling smoke issued forth and the crackling of the fire was heard. "Run, Ben; give the alarm!" called Mr. Crawford, pale with dismay and apprehension. It was no time then to inquire how the fire caught. There was only time to save as much of the stock as possible, since it was clear that the fire had gained too great a headway to be put out. Ben lost no time, and in less than ten minutes the engine, which, fortunately, was housed only ten rods away, was on the ground. Though it was impossible to save the store, the fire might be prevented from spreading. A band of earnest workers aided Crawford in saving his stock. A large part, of course, must be sacrificed; but, perhaps, a quarter was saveo. " All at once a terrified whisper spread from one to another: THE STORE BOY 55 "Mrs. Morton's children! Where are they? They must be in the third story." A poor woman, Mrs. Morton, had been allowed, with her two children, to enjoy, temporarily, two rooms in the third story. She had gone to a farmer's two miles away to do some work, and her children, seven and nine years of age, had remained at home. They seemed doomed to certain death. But, even as the inquiry went from lip to lip, the children appeared. They had clambered out of a third-story window upon the sloping roof of the rear ell, and, pale and dismayed, stood in sight of the shocked and terrified crowd, shrieking for help! "A ladder! A ladder!" exclaimed half a dozen. But there was no ladder at hand — none nearer than Mr. Parmenter's, five minutes' walk away. While a messenger was getting it the fate of the children would be decided. "Tell 'em to jump!" exclaimed Silas Carver. "They'd break their necks, you fool!" returned his wife. "Better do that than be burned up! " said the old man. No one knew what to do — no one but Ben Barclay. He seized a coil of rope, and with a speed which surprised even himself, climbed up a tall oak tree, whose branches overshadowed the roof of the ell part. In less than a min- ute he found himself on a limb just over the children. To the end of the rope was fastened a strong iron hook. Undismayed by his own danger, Ben threw his rope, though he nearly lost his footing while he was doing it, and with an aim so precise that the hook caught in the smaller girl's dress. " Hold on to the rope, Jennie, if you can! " he shouted. The girl obeyed him instinctively. Drawing the cord hand over hand, the little girl swung clear, and was lowered into the arms of Ebenezer Strong, who detachc-d the hook from the little girl's dress. " Save the other, Ben! " shouted a dozen. Ben needed no spur to further effort. Again he threw the hook, and this time the older girl, comprehending what was required, caught the rope and swung off the roof scarcely in time, for her clothing had caught fire. But, when she reached the ground, ready hands extinguished it and the crowd of anxious spectators breathed more freely, as Ben, throwing down the rope, rapidly de- scended the tree and stood once more in safety, having saved two lives. Just then it was that the poor mother, almost frantic with fear, arrived on the ground. "Where arc iny darlings? Who will save them?" she ex- claimed, full of anguish, yet not comprehending that thej? were out of peril. 4tt 66 THE STORE BOY " They are safe, and here is the brave boy who saved their lives," said Ebenezer Strong. " God bless you, Ben Barclay! " exclaimed the poor mother. " You have saved my life as well as theirs, for I should have died if they had burned." Ben scarcely heard her, for one and another came up to shake his hand and congratulate him upon his brave deed. Our young hero was generally self-possessed, but he hardly knew how to act when he found himself an object of popu- lar ovation. " Somebody else would have done it if I hadn't," he said, modestly. " You are the only one who had his wits about him," said Seth Jones. " No one thought of the rope till you climbed the tree. We were all looking for a ladder and there was none to be had nearer than Mr. Parmenter's." " I wouldn't have thought of it myself if I hadn't read in a daily paper of something like it," said Ben. " Ben," said Mrs. Crawford, " I'd give a thousand dollars to have done what you did. You've shown yourself a hero." " Oh, Ben, how frightened I was when I saw you on the branch just over the burning building," said a well-known voice. Turning, Ben saw that it was his mother who spoke. " Well, it's all right now, mother," he said, smiling. " You are not sorry I did it." " Sorry! I am proud of you." " I am not proud of my hands," said Ben. " Look at them." They were chafed and bleeding, having been lacerated by his rapid descent from the tree. " Come home, Ben, and let me put some salve on them. How they must pain you!" " Wait till the fire is all over, mother." The gallant firemen did all they could, but the store was doomed. They could only prevent it from extending. In half an hour the engine was taken back, and Ben went home with his mother. " It's been rather an exciting evening, mother," said Ben. " I rather think I shall have to find a new place." CHAPTER XV •^^-^^ BEN LOSES HIS PLACE Ben did riot find himself immediately out of employment. The next morning Mr. Crawford commenced the work of as- certaining what articles he had saved, and storing them. Luck- THE STORE BOY 57 ily, there was a vacant store which had once been used for a tailor's shop, but had been unoccupied for a year or more. This he hired, and at once removed his goods to it. But he did not display his usual energy. He was a man of over sixty, and no longer possessed the enterprise and ambition which had once characterized him. Besides, he was very comfort- ably off, or would be when he obtained the insurance money. " I don't know what I shall do," he said, when questioned. " I was brought up on a farm, and I always meant to end my days on one. Perhaps now is as well as any time, since my business is broken up." This- came to the ears of Squire Davenport, who was al- ways keen-scented for a bargain. His wife's cousin, Mr. Kirk, who has already been introduced to the reader, had, in his earlier days, served as a clerk in a country store. He had no capital, to be sure, but the squire had plenty. Ifc occurred to him as a good plan to buy out the business him- self, hire Kirk on a salary to conduct it, and so add consid- erably to his already handsome income. He sent for Kirk, ascertained that he was not only willing, l>ut anxious, to manage the business, and then called on Mr. Llrawford. It is unnecessary to detail the negotiations that ensued. It was Squire Davenport's wish to obtain the business as cheaply as possible. The storekeeper, however, had his own estimate of its worth, and the squire was obliged to add con- siderable of his first offer. In the end, however, he secured it on advantageous terms, and Mr. Crawford now felt able to carry out the plan he had long had in view. It was in the evening, a week after the fire, that the bar- gain was struck, and Ben was one of the first to hear of it. When he came to work early the next morning he found his employer in the store before him, which was not usual. " You are early, Mr. Crawford," he said, in evident sur- prise. " Yes, Ben," was the reply. " I can afford to come early for a morning or two, as I shall soon be out of business." "You haven't sold out, have you?" inquired Ben, quickly. "Yes; the bargain was struck last evening." "How soon do you leave the store?" "In three days. It will take that time to make up my ac- counts." " I am sorry," said Ben, " for I suppose I shall have to re- tire, too." " I don't know about that, Ben, Very likely my successor may want you." " That depends on who he is. Do you mind telling me, or is it a secret? " " Oh, no; it will have to come out, of course. Squire Dav- enport has bought the business." " The squire isn't going to keep the store, is he? " asked Ben, in amazement. 58 THE STORE BOY " No; though he will, no doubt, supervise it. He will em- ploy a manager." "Do you know who is to be the manager, Mr. Crawford?" " Some connection of his named Kirk." Ben whistled. "Do you know him?" the storekeeper was led to inquire. " I have not seen him, but he called with the squire on my mother," said Ben, significantly. " I shall be glad to recommend you to him." " It will be of no use, Mr. Crawford," answered Ben, in a decided tone. " I know he wouldn't employ me, nor would. I work for him if he would. Neither he nor the squire is a friend of mine." " I did not dream of this, Ben. I am sorry if the step I have taken is going to deprive you of employment," said Mr. Crawford, who was a kind-hearted man, and felt a sin- cere interest in his young clerk. " Never mind, Mr. Crawford, I am not cast down. There will be other openings for me. I am young, strong, and will- ing to work, and I am sure I shall find something to do." " That's right, Ben. Cheer up, and if I hear of any good chance, rest assured that I will let you know of it." Tom Davenport was not long in hearing of his father's bargain. He heard it with unfeigned pleasure, for it oc- curred to him at once that Ben, for whom he had a feeling of hatred, by no means creditable to him, would be thrown out of employment. " Promise me, pa, that you won't employ Ben Barclay," he said. " I have no intention of employing that boy," said his father. " Mr. Kirk has a son of his own, about Ben's age, and will, no doubt, put him into the store, unless you should choose to go in and learn the business." "What I I become a store boy!" exclaimed Tom, in dis- gust. " No, thank you. I might be willing to become sales- man in a large establishment in the city, but I don't care to go into a country grocery." " It wouldn't do you any harm," said the squire, who was not quite so high-minded as his son. " However, I merely mentioned it as something you could do, if you chose." "Bah! I don't choose it," said Tom, decidedly. "Well, well; you won't have to do it." " It would put me on a level with Ben Barclay, if I stepped 5nto his shoes. Won't he be. down in the mouth when he hears he ha^ last his place? " and Tom chuckled at the thought. ' ' " That is no concern of mine," said the squire. " I suppose he can hire out to a farmer." " Just the business for him," said Tom, " unless he should prefer to go to New York and set up as a bootblack. I be- lieve I'll suggest that to him!" THE STORE BOY 59 " Probably he won't thank you for the suggestion." " I guess not. He's as proud as he is poor. It's amusing to see what airs he puts on." Squire Davenport, however, was not so much interested in that phase of the subject as Tom, and did not reply. " I think I'll go down street," thought Tom. " Perhaps I may come across Ben. I shall enjoy seeing how he takes it." Tom had scarcely walked a hundred yards when he met, not the one of whom he had thought, but another to whom he felt glad to speak on the same subject. This was Rose Gardiner, the prettiest girl in the village, who has already deeply offended Tom by accepting Ben as her escort from the magical entertainment in place of him. He had made advances since, being desirous of ousting Ben from his po- sition of favorite, but the young lady had treated him coldly, much to his anger and mortification. " Good-morning, Miss Rose," said Tom, removing his hat. "Good-morning," answered Rose, civilly. "Have you heard the news?" "To what news do you refer?" " Crawford has sold out his business." "Indeed!" said Rose, in surprise; "who has bought it?" "My father. Of course, he won't keep store himself. He will put in a connection of ours, Mr. Kirk." "This is news, indeed! Where is Mr. Crawford going?" " I don't know, I'm sure. I thought you'd be more apt to inquire about somebody else? " " I am not good at guessing enigmas," said Rose. " Your friend, Ben Barclay," returned Tom, with a sneer. "Father won't have him in the store!" "Oh, I see; you are going to take his place," said Rose, mischievously. "I? What do you take me for?" said Tom, haughtily. " I suppose Ben Barclay will have to go to work on a farm." " That is a very honorable employment," said Rose, calmly. " Yes; he can be a hired man when he grows up. Perhaps, though, he will prefer to go to the city, and become a boot- black." "Ben ought to be very much obliged to you for the in- terest you feel in his welfare," said Rose, looking steadily and scornfully at Tom. " Good-morning." " She feels sore about it," thought Tom, complacently. " She won't be quite so ready to accept Ben's attentions when he is a farm laborer." Tom, however, didn't understand Rose Gardiner. She was a girl of good sense, and her estimate of others was founded Oil something else than social position. 60 THE STORE BOY CHAPTER XVI BEN FINDS TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT " Oh, Ben, what shall we do ? " exclaimed Mrs. Barclay, when she heard Mr, Crawford had sold out his business. " We'll get along somehow, mother. Something will be sure to turn up." Ben spoke more cheerfully than he felt. He knew very well that Pentonville presented scarcely any field for a boy, unless he was willing to work on a farm. Now, Ben had no objections to farm labor, provided he had a farm of his O'iati, but at the rate such labor was paid in Pentonville, there was very little chance of ever rising above the position of a " hired man," if he once adopted the business. Our young hero felt that this would not satisfy him. He was enterpris- ing and ambitious, and wanted to be a rich man some day. Money is said, by certain moralists, to be the root of all evil. The love of money, if carried too far, may indeed lead to evil, but it is a natural ambition in any boy or man to wish to raise himself above poverty. The wealth of Amos Lawrence and Peter Cooper was a source of blessing to man- kind, yet each started as a poor boy, and neither would have become rich if he had not striven hard to become so. When Ben made this cheerful answer his mother shook her head sadly. She was not so hopeful as Ben, and vi- sions of poverty presented themselves before her mind. "I don't see what you can And to do in Pentonville, Ben," she said. " I can live a while without work while I am looking around, mother," Ben answered. " We have got all that money I brought from New York yet." " It won't last long," said his mother, despondently. " It will last till I can earn some more," answered Ben. Ben was about to leave the house when a man in a far- mer's frock, driving a yoke of oxen, stopped his team in the road, and turned in at the widow's gate. It was Silas Greyson, the owner of a farm just out of the A^illage. " Did you want to see mother? " asked Ben. " No, I wanted to see you, Benjamin," answered Gfeyson. " I hear you've left the store." " The store has changed hands, and the new storekeeper don't want me." " Do you want a job? " "What is it, Mr. Greyson?" Ben replied, answering one question with another. " I am goin' to get in wood for the winter from my wood lot for about a week," said the farmer, " and I want help. Are you willin' to hire out for a week? " THE STORE BOY 61 "What'll you pay me?" asked Ben. " I'll keep you, and give you a cord of wood. Your mother'll find it handy. I'm short of money, and calc'late wood'U be just as good pay." Ben thought over the proposal, and answered : " I'd rather take my meals at home, Mr. Greyson, and if you'll make it two cords with that understanding, I'll agree to hire out to you." "Ain't that rather high?" asked the farmer, hesitating. " I don't think so." Finally Silas Greyson agreed, and Ben promised to be on hand bright and early the next day. It may be stated here that wood was very cheap at Pentonville, so that Ben would not be overpaid. There were some few things about the house which Ben wished to do for his mother before he went to work any- where, and he thought this a good opportunity to do them. While in the store his time had been so taken up that he was unable to attend to them. He passed a busy day, therefore, and hardly went into the street. Just at nightfall, as he was in the front yard, he was rather surprised to see Tom Davenport open the gate and enter. " What does he want, I wonder? " he thought, but he said, in a civil tone : " Good-evening, Tom." "You're out of business, ain't you?" asked Tom, abruptly. "I'm not out of work, at any rate!" answered Ben. "Why, what work are you doing?" interrogated Tom, in evident disappointment. " I've been doing some jobs about the house for mother." " That won't give you a living," said Tom, disdainfully. " Very true." "Did you expect to stay in the store? " asked Tom. " Not after I heard that jqiit father had bought it," an- swered Ben, quietly. " My father's willing to give you work," said Tom. "Is he?" asked Ben, very much surprised. It occurred to him that perhaps he would have a chance to remain in the store after all, and for the present that would have suited him. Though he didn't like the squire, or Mr. Kirk, he felt that he had no right, in his present cir- cumstances, to refuse any way to earn an honest living. " Yes," answered Tom. " I told him he'd better hire you." "You did!" exclaimed Ben, more and more amazed. "I didn't expect that. However, go on, if you please." " He's got three cords of wood that he wants sawed and split," said Tom, " and as I knew how poor you were I thought it would be a good chance for you." You might have thought from Tom's manner that he was a young lord, and Ben a peasant. Ben was not angry, but amused. 62 THE STORE BOY "It is true," he said. "I am not rich; still, I am not as poor as you think," He happened to have in his pocketbook the money he had brought from New York, and this he took from his pocket, and displayed to the astonished Tom. "Where did you get that money?" asked Tom, surprised and chagrined. " I got it honestly. You see we can hold out a few days. However, I may be willing to accept the job you offer me. How much is your father willing to pay me? " " He is willing to give you forty cents a day," " How long does he expect me to work for that? " " Ten hours." " That is four cents an hour, and hard work at that, I am much obliged to you and him, Tom, for your liberal offer, but I can't accept it," " You'll see the time when you'll be glad to take such a job," said Tom, who was personally disappointed that he would not be able to exhibit Ben as his father's hired de- pendent. " You seem to know all about it, Tom," answered Ben. " I shall be at work all next week, at much higher pay, for Silas Greyson," " How much does he pay you?" " Tliat is my private business, and wouldn't interest you." " You're mighty independent for a boy in your position." "Very likely. Won't you come in?" " No," answered Tom, ungraciously; " I've wasted too much time here already." "I understand Tom's object in wanting to hire me," thought Ben, " He wants to order me around. Still, if the squire had been willing to pay a decent price, I would have accepted the job. I won't let pride stand in the way of my supporting mother and myself." This was a sensible and praiseworthy resolution, as I hope my young readers will admit. I don't think much of the pride that is willing to let others suffer in order that it may be gratified. Ben worked a full week for Farmer Greyson, and helped unload the two cords of wood, which were his wages, in his mother's yard. Then there were two days of idleness, which made him anxious. On the second day, just after supper, he met Rose Gardiner coming from the post office. "Have you any correspondents in New York, Ben?" she asked. " What makes you ask, Rose? " "Because the postmaster told me there was a letter for you by this evening's mail. It was mailed in New York, and was directed in a lady's hand. I hope you haven't been flirting with any New York ladies, Mr. Barclay." THE STORE BOY 63 " The only lady I know in New York is at least fifty years old," answered Ben, smiling. " That is satisfactory," answered Rose, solemnly. " Then I won't be jealous." " What can the letter be? " thought Ben. " I hope it con- tains good news." He hurried to the post office in a fever of excitement. CHAPTER XVII WHAT THE LETTER CONTAINED " I HEAR there is a letter for me, Mr. Brown," said Ben to the postmaster, who was folding the evening papers, of which he received a parcel from the city by the afternoon train. " Yes, Ben," answered the postmaster, smiling. " It ap- pears to be from a lady in New York. You must have im- proved your time during your recent visit to the city?" " I made the acquaintance of one lady older than my mother," answered Ben. " I didn't flirt with her any." " At any rate, I should judge that she became interested in you or she wouldn't write." " I hope she did, for she is very wealthy," returned Ben. The letter was placed in his hands, and he quickly tore it open. Something dropped from it. "What is that?" asked the't)Ostmaster. Ben stooped and picked it up, and, to his surprise, discov- ered that it was a ten-dollar bill. " That's a correspondent worth having," said Mr. Brown, jocosely. " Can't you give me a letter of introduction? " Ben didn't answer, for he was by this time deep in the let- ter. We will look over his shoulder and read it with him. It ran thus; " No. — : Madison Avenue, " New York, October 5. " My Dear Young Friend : "Will you come to New York and call upon me? I have a very pleasant remembrance of you and the service you did me recently, and I think I can employ you in other ways to our mutual advantage. I am willing to pay you a higher salary than you are receiving in your country home, besides providing you with a home in my own house. I in- close ten dollars for expenses. Yours, with best wishes, " Helen Hamilton." 64 THE STORE BOY Ben's heart beat with joyful excitement as he read this letter. It could not have come at a better time, for, as we know he was out of employment, and, of course, earning nothing. " Well, Ben," said the postmaster, whose curiosity was excited, "is it good news?" " I should say it was," said Ben, emphatically. " I am offered a good situation in New York." "You don't say so! How much are you offered?" " I am to get more than Mr. Crawford paid me, and board in a fine house besides — a brownstone house on Madison Avenue." "Well, I declare! You are in luck," ejaculated Mr. Brown. "What are you to do?" " That's more than I know. Here is the letter, if you like to read it." " It reads well. She must be a generous lady. But what will your mother say to your leaving her?" " That's what I don't know," said Ben, looking suddenly sober. " I hate to leave her, but it is for my good." " Mothers are self-sacrificing when the interests of their children are concerned." " I know that," said Ben, promptly; " and I've got one of the best mothers going." " So you have. Every one likes and respects Mrs. Bar- ' clay." Any boy, who is worth anything, likes to hear his mother praised, and Ben liked Mr. Brown better for this tribute to the one whom he loved best on earth. He was not slow in making his way home. He went at once to the kitchen, where his mother was engaged in mixing bread. "What's the matter, Ben? You look excited," said Mrs. Barclay. " So I am mother. I am offered a place." "Not in the store?" " No; it is in New York." " In New York! " repeated his mother, in a troubled voice. " It would cost you all you could make to pay your board in some cheap boarding house. If it were really going to be for your good, I might consent to part with you, but " " Read that letter, mother," said Ben. " You will see that I shall have an elegant home and a salary besides. It is a chance in a thousand." Mrs. Barclay read the letter carefully. "Can I go, mother?" Ben asked, anxiously. " It will be a sacrifice for me to part with you, Ben," re- turned his mother, slowly; "but I agree with you that it is a rare chance, and I should be doing wrong to stand in the way of your good fortune. Mrs. Hamilton must have formed a very good opinion of you." " She may be disappointed in me," said Ben, modestly. THE STORE BOY 65 " I don't think she will," said Mrs. Barclay, with a proud and affectionate glance at her boy. " You have always been a good son, and that is the best of recommendations." " I am afraid you are too partial, mother. I shall hate to leave you alone." " I can bear loneliness if I know you are prospering, Ben." " And it will only be for a time, mother. When I am a young man and earning a good income, I shall want you to come and live with me." "All in good time, Ben. How soon do you want to go?" " I think it better to lose no time, mother. You know I have no work to keep me in Pentonville." "But it will take two or three days to get your clothes ready." " You can send them to me by express. I shall send you the address." Mrs. Barclay was a fond mother, but she was also a sen- sible woman. She felt that Ben was right, and, though it seemed very sudden, she gave him her permission to start the next morning. Had she objected strenuously, Ben would have given up his plan, much as he desired it, for he felt that his mother had the strongest claims upon him, and he would not have been willing to run counter to her wishes. " Where are you going, Ben? " asked his mother, as Ben put on his hat and moved toward the door. " I thought I would like to call on Rose Gardiner to say good-by," answered Ben. " Quite right, my son. Rose is a good friend of yours, and an excellent girl." " I say ditto to that, mother," Ben answered, warjnly. I am not going to represent Ben as being in love — he was too young for that — but, like many boys of his age, he felt a special attraction in the society of one young girl. His good taste was certainly not at fault in his choice of Rose Gardiner, who, far from being frivolous and fashionable, was a girl of sterling traits, who was not above making herself useful in the household of which she formed a part. On his way to the home of Rose Gardiner, Ben met Tom Davenport. "How are you getting along?" asked Tom, not out of in- terest, but curiosity. " Very well, thank you." " Have you got through helping the farmer? " " Yes." " It was a very long job. Have you thought better of eoming to saw wood for father?" "No; I have thought worse of it," answered Ben, smiling. " You are too proud. Poor and proud don't agree." " Not at all. I would have had no objection to the work. It was the pay I didn't like." 66 THE STORE BOY "You can't earn more than forty cents a day at anything else." " You are mistaken. I am going to New York to-morrow to take a place, where I get board and considerable more money besides." "Is that true?" asked Tom, looking as if he had lost his best friend. " Quite so. The party inclosed ten dollars to pay my ex- penses up to the city." " He must be a fool." " Thank you. It happens to be a lady." **What are you to do?" " I don't know yet. I am sure I shall be well paid. I must ask you to excuse me now, as I am going to call on Rose Gardiner to bid her good-by." " I dare say she would excuse you," said Tom, with a sneer. "Perhaps so; but I wouldn't like to go without saying good-by." "At any rate, he will be out of my way," thought Tom, " and I can monopolize Rose. I'm glad he's going." He bade Ben an unusually civil good-night, as this thought occurred to him. CHAPTER XVIII FAREWELL TO PENTONVILLE " I HAVE come to say good-by. Rose," said Ben, as the young lady made her appearance. "Good-by!" repeated Rose, in surprise. "Why, where are you going?" "To New York." "But you are coming back again?" "I hope so, but only for a visit now and "then. I am offered a position in the city." "Isn't that rather sudden?" said Rose, after a pause. Ben explained how he came to be offered employment. " I am to receive higher pay than I did here, and a home besides," he added, in a tone of satisfaction. " Don't you think I am lucky? " "Yes, Ben, and I rejoice in your good fortune; but I shall miss you so much," said Rose, frankly. " I am glad of that," returned Ben. " I hoped you would miss me a little. You'll go and see mother now and then, won't you? She will feel very lonely." " You may be sure I will. It is a pity you have to go away. A great many will be sorry." THE STORE BOY 67 " I know some one who won't." " Who is that? " " Tom Davenport." Rose smiled. She had a little idea why Tom would not regret Ben's absence. " Tom could be spared, as well as not," she said. " He is a strong admirer of yours, I believe," said Ben, mischievously. " I don't admire him," retorted Rose, with a little toss of her head. Ben heard this with satisfaction, for though he was too young to be a lover, he did have a strong feeling of attrac- tion toward Rose, and would have been sorry to have Tom step into his place. As Ben was preparing to go, Rose said: " Wait a minute, Ben." She left the room and went upstairs, but returned al- most immediately, with a small knit purse. "Won't you accept this, Ben?" she said. "I just finished it yesterday. It will remind you of me when you are away." " Thank you, Rose. I shall need nothing to keep you in my remembrance, but I will value it for your sake." " I hope you will be fortunate and fill it very soon, Ben." So the two parted on the most friendly terms, and the next day Ben started for New York in the highest of spirits. ; After purchasing his ticket, he gave place to Squire Dav- ipnport, who also called for a ticket to New York. Now, it so happened that the squire had not seen Tom since the in- terview of the latter with our hero, and was in ignorance of bis good luck. "Are you going to New York, Benjamin?" he asked, in surprise. " Yes, sir." " Isn't it rather extravagant for one in your circum- stances ? " "Yes, sir; if I had no object in view." " Have you any business in the city?" " Yes, sir; I am going to take a place." Squire Davenport was still more surprised, and asked par- ticulars. These Ben readily gave, for he was quite elated by his good fortune. "Oh, that's it, is it?" said the squire, contemptuously. "I thought you might have secured a position in some business house. This lady probably wants you to answer the door- bell and clean the knives, or something of that sort." " I am sure she does not," said Ben, indignant and morti- fied. " You'll find I am right," said the squire, confidently. " Young man, I can't congratulate you on your prospects. You would have done as well to stay in Pentonville and work on my wood pile." 68 THE STORE BOY " Whatever work I may do in New York, I shall be a good deal better paid for than here," retorted Ben. Squire Davenport shrugged his shoulders, and began to read the morning paper. To do him justice, he only said what he thought when he predicted to Ben that he would be called upon to do menial work. " The boy won't be in so good spirits a week hence," he thought. " However, that is not my affair. There is no doubt that I shall get possession of his mother's house when the three months are up, and I don't at all care where he and his mother go. If they leave Pentonville I shall be very well satisfied. I have no satisfaction in meeting either of them," and the squire frowned, as if some unpleasant thought had crossed his mind. Nothing of note passed during the remainder of the jour- ney. Ben arrived in New York, and at once took a convey- ance uptown, and in due time found himself, carpetbag in hand, on the front steps ot Mrs. Hamilton's house. He rang the bell, and the door was opened by a servant. " She's out shopping," answered the girl, looking inquisi- tively at Ben's carpetbag. " Will you leave a message for her? " " I believe I am expected," said Ben, feeling a little awk- ward. "My name is Benjamin Barclay." " Mrs. Hamilton didn't say anything about expecting any boy," returned the servant. " You can come in, if you like, and I'll call Mrs. Hill." " I suppose that is the housekeeper," thought Ben. " Very well," he answered. " I believe I will come in, as Mrs. Hamilton wrote to me to come." Ben left his bag in the front hall, and with his hat in his hand, followed the servant into the handsomely-furnished drawing-room. " I wish Mrs. Hamilton had been here," he said to him- self. " The girl seems to look at me suspiciously. I hope the housekeeper knows about my coming." Ben sat down in an easy-chair beside a marble-topped cen- ter table, and waited for fifteen minutes before any one appeared. He beguiled the time by looking over a hand- somely illustrated book of views, but presently the door was pushed open and he looked up. The newcomer was a spare, pale-faced woman, with a querulous expression, who stared coldly at our hero. It was clear that she was not glad to see him. " What can I do for you, young man? " she asked in a repellent tone. "What a disagreeable-looking woman!" thought Ben. "I am sure we shall never be friends." " Is Mrs. Hamilton expected in soon? " he asked. " I really cannot say. She does not report to me how long she expects to be gone." THE STORE BOY 69 " Didn't she speak to you about expecting me? " asked Ben, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. " Not a word! " was the reply. " She wrote to me to come here, but perhaps she did not expect me so soon." " If you have come here to collect a bill, or with any busi- ness errand, I can attend to you. I am Mrs. Hamilton's cousin." " Thank you; it will be necessary for me to see Mrs. Ham* ilton." " Then you may as well call in the afternoon, or some other day." " That's pretty cool ! " thought Ben. " The woman wants to get me out of the house, but I propose to ' hold the fort ' till Mrs. Hamilton arrives." " I thought you might know that I am going to stay here," said Ben. "What!" exclaimed Mrs. Hill, in genuine surprise. " Mrs. Hamilton has offered me a position, though I do not know what the duties are to be, and I am going to make my home here." "Really this is too much!" said the pale-faced lady, sternly. " Here, Conrad! " she called, going to the door. A third party made his appearance on the scene, a boy who looked so much like Mrs. Hill that it was clear she was his mother. He was two inches taller than Ben, but looked pale and flabby. "What's wanted, ma?" he said, staring at Ben. " This young man has made a strange mistake. He says Mrs. Hamilton has sent for him and that he is going to live here." " He's got cheek," exclaimed Conrad, continuing to stare at Ben. "Tell him that he'd better go!" "You'd better go!" said the boy, like a parrot. " Thank you," returned Ben, provoked, " but I mean to stay." " Go and call a policeman, Conrad," said Mrs. Hill. " We'll see what he'll have to say then." CHAPTER XEX A COOL RECEPTION " This isn't quite the reception I expected," thought Ben. He was provoked with the disagreeable woman who persisted in regarding and treating him as an intruder, but he was not in the least nervous or alarmed. He knew that things 70 THE STORE BOY would come right, and that Mrs. Hill and her promising son would see their mistake. He had half a mind to let Conrad call a policeman, and then turn the tables upon his foes. But he knew that this would be disagreeable to Mrs. Hamilton, whose feelings he was bound to consider. " Before you call a policeman," he said quietly, " it may bo well for you to read this letter." As he spoke he handed Mrs. Hill the letter he had received from Mrs. Hamilton. Mrs. Hill took the letter suspiciously, and glared over it. As she read, a spot of red glowed in each pallid cheek, and she bit her lips in annoyance. " I don't understand it," she said, slowly. Ben did not feel called upon to explain what v/as perfectly intelligible. He saw that Mrs. Hill didn't want to understand it. "What is it, ma?" asked Conrad, his curiosity aroused. " You can read it for yourself, Conrad," returned his mother. "Is he coming to live here?" ejaculated Conrad, aston-* ished, indicating Ben with a jerk of his finger. " If this letter is genuine," said Mrs. Hill, with a significant emphasis on the last word. " If it is not, Mrs. Hamilton will be sure to tell you so," said Ben, provoked. " Come out, Conrad; I want to speak to you," said his mother. Without ceremony, they left Ben in the parlor alone, and withdrew to another part of the house, where they held a conference. "What does it all mean, ma?" asked Conrad. " It means that your prospects are threatened, my poor boy. Cousin Hamilton, who is very eccentric, has taken a fancy to this boy, and she is going to confer favors upon him at your expense. It is too bad!" "I'd like to break his head!" said Conrad, scowling. " It won't do, Conrad, to fight him openly. We must do what we can in an underhand way to undermine him with Cousin Hamilton. She ought to make you her heir, as sho has no children of her own." " I don't think she likes me," said the boy. " She only gives me two dollars a week allowance, and she scolded me the other day because she met me in the hall smoking a cigarette." " Be sure not to offend her, Conrad. A great deal depends on it. Two dollars ought to answer for the present. When you are a young man, you may be in very different circum- stances." " I don't know about that," grumbled Conrad. " I may get two dollars a week then, but what's that?" "You may be a wealthy man!" said his mother, im- THE ST0R2 EOT 71 pressively. "Cousin Hamilton is not ?o licaltby as she looks. I have a suspicion that her heart is aiitoied. .3hj iiiiGht die suddenly." "Do you really think so?" said Conrad, eagerly. " I think so. What you must try to do is to stand well wi';h her, and get her to make her will in your favor, I will attend to that, if you will do as I tell you." " She may make this boy her heir," said Conrad, discon- tentedly. "Then vdiere would I be?" " She won't do it, if I can heliD it," said Mrs. Hill, with an emphatic nod. " I will manage to make trouble between them. You will always be niy first interest, niy dear boy." She made a motion to kiss her dear boy, but Conrad, who was by no means of an affectionate disposition, moved his head suddenly, with an impatient' exclamation: "Oh, bother!" A pained look came over his motn'^r'-: ■f■^r.P' f.or- she loved her son, unattractive and disagreeab! vith a love the greater because she loved no . the vvorld. Mother and son were selfish alike, bat the son the more so, for he had not a spark of love for any human being. • "There's the bell!" said Mrs. Hill, suddenly. "1 do be- lieve Cousin Hamilton has come. Now we shall find out whether this boy's story is true." "Let's go dov/nstairs, ma! I hope it's all a mistake, and she'll send me for a policeman." " I am afraid the boy's story is correct. But his day will be short." When they reached the hall, Mrs. Hamilton had already been admatted to the house. " There's a boy in the drawing-room, Rlrs. Hamilton," said Mrs. Hill, " who says he is to stay here — ^that you sent for him." " Has he come already? "' returned Mrs. Hamilton. " I am glad of it." " Then you did send for nim? " "Of course. Didn't I mention it to you? I hardly ex- pected he would come so soon." She opened the door of the drawing-room, and approached Ben, with extended hand and a pleasant smile. " Welcome to New York, Ben," she said. " I hope I haven't kept you waiting long? " " Not very long," answered Ben, shaking her hand. " This is my cousin, Mrs. Hill, who relieves me of part of my housekeeping care," continued Mrs. Hamilton, " and this is her son Conrad. Conrad, this is a companion for you, Benjamin Barclay, who will be a new member of our small family." " I hope you are well, Conrad," said Ben, with a smile, to the boy who but a short time before was going for a policeman to put him under arrest. 5 TT 72 THE STORE BOY " I'm all right," said Conrad, ungraciously. " Really, Cousin Hamilton, this is a surprise," said Mrs. Hill. " You are quite kind to provide Conrad with a com- panion, but I don't think he felt the need of any, except his mother— and you." Mrs. Hamilton laughed. She saw that neither Mrs. Hill nor Conrad was glad to see Ben, and this was only what she expected, and, indeed, this was the chief reason why she had omitted to mention Ben's expected arrival. " You give me too much credit," she said, " if you think I invited this young gentleman here solely as a companion to Conrad. I shall have some writing and accounts for him to attend to." " I am sure Conrad would have been glad to serve you in that way, Cousin Hamilton," said Mrs. Hill. " I am sorry you did not give him the first chance." "Conrad wouldn't have suited me," said Mrs. Hamilton, bluntly. " Perhaps I may not be competent," suggested Ben, mod- estly. " We can tell better after trying you," said his patroness. "As for Conrad, I have obtained a position for him. He is to enter the offices of Jones & WoodhuU, on Pearl Street, to-morrow. You will take an early breakfast, Conrad, for it will be necessary for you to be at the office at eight o'clock." " How much am I to get? " asked Conrad. " Four dollars a week. I shall let you have ail this in lieu of the weekly allowance I pay you, but will provide you with clothing, as heretofore, so that this will keep you liberally supplied with pocket money." Conrad's brow cleared. He was lazy, and did not enjoy going to work, but the increase of his allowance would be satisfactory. " And now, Ben, Mrs. Hill will kindly show you your room. It is the large hall bedroom on the third floor. When you have unpacked your valise, and got to feel at home, come downstairs, and we will have a little conversation upon busi- ness. You will find me in the sitting-room, on the next floor." " Thank you," said Ben, politely, and he followed the pallid cousin upstairs. He was shown into a handsomely furnished room, bright and cheerful. " This is a very pleasant room," he said. "You won't occupy it long!" said Mrs; Hill to herself. " No one will step into my Conrad's place, if I can help it." THE STORE BOY 73 CHAPTER XX ENTERING UPON HIS DUTIES When Ben had taken out his clothing from his valise and put it away in the drawers of the handsome bureau which formed a part of the furniture of his room, he went down- stairs, and found his patroness in a cozy sitting-room on the second floor. It was furnished, Ben could not help think- ing, more as if it were designed for a gentleman than a lady. In one corner was a library table, with writing ma- terials, books and papers upon it, and an array of drawers on either side of the central part. " Come right in, Ben," said Mrs. Hamilton, who was seated at the table. " We will talk of business." This Ben was quite willing to do. He was anxious to know what were to be his duties, that he might judge whether he was competent to discharge them. " Let me tell you, to begin with," said his patroness, " that I am possessed of considerable wealth, as, indeed, you may; have judged by my way of living. I have no children, un-i fortunately, and, being unwilling, selfishly, to devote my en- tire means to my own use exclusively, I try to help others in a way that I think most suitable, Mrs. Hill, who acts as my housekeeper, is a cousin, who made a poor marriage, and was left penniless. I have given a home to her and her son." " I don't think Mrs. Hill likes my being here," said Ben. "Yoii are, no doubt, right. She is foolish enough to be jealous, because I do not bestow all my favors upon her." " I think she will look upon me as the rival of her son." " I expected she would. Perhaps she will learn, after a while, that I can be a friend to you and him both, though, I am free to admit, I have never been able to take any fancy, to Conrad, nor, indeed, was his mother a favorite with me. But for her needy circumstances, she is, perhaps, the last of my relatives that I would invite to become a member of my household. However, to come to business: My money is invested in various ways. Besides the ordinary forms of investment, stocks, bonds and mortgages, I have set up two or three young men, whom I thought worthy, in busi- ness, , and require them to send in monthly statements of their business to me. You see, therefore, that I have more or less to do with accounts. I never had much taste for figures, and it struck me that I might relieve myself of considerable drudgery if I could obtain your assistance, un- der my supervision, of course. I hope you have a taste for figures?" " Arithmetic and algebra are my favorite studies," said Ben, promptly. 74 THE STORE BOY " I am glad of it. Of course, I did not know that, but had you not been well versed in accounts, I meant to send you to a commercial school to qualify you for the duties I wished to impose upon you," " I don't think it will be necessary," answered Ben. " I have taken lessons in bookkeeping at home, and, though it seems like boasting, I was better in mathematics than any of my schoolfellows." "I am so glad to hear that. Can you write well?" "Shall I write something for you?" " Do so." Mrs. Hamilton vacated her place, and Ben, sitting at the desk, wrote two or three copies from remembrance. "Very well, indeed!" said his patroness, approvingly. "I see that in engaging you I have made no mistake." Ben's cheek flushed with pleasure, and he was eager to enter upon his new duties. But he could not help wonder- ing why he had been selected when Conrad was already in the house, and unemployed. He ventured to say: " Would you mind telling me why you did not employ Con- rad, instead of sending for me?" " There are two good and sufflcient reasons : Conrad is not competent for such an office : and secondly, I should not like to have the boy about me as much as he would need to be. I have obtained for him a position out of the house. One question remains to be considered: How much wages do you expect? " " I would prefer to leave that to you, Mrs. Hamilton. I cannot expect high pay." "Will ten dollars a week be adequate?" " I can't earn as much money as that," said Ben, in sur- prise. " Perhaps not, and yet I am not sure. If you suit me, it will be worth my while to pay you as much." " But Conrad will only receive four dollars a week. Won't he be angry? " " Conrad is not called upon to support his mother, as I understand you are." "You are very kind to think of that, Mrs. Hamilton." " I want to be kind with you, Ben," said his patroness, with a pleasant smile. "When shall I commence my duties?" " Now. You will copy this statement into the ledger you see here. Before doing so, will you look over and verify the figures?" Ben was soon hard at work. He was interested in his work, and the time slipped fast. After an hour and a half had passed, Mrs. Hamilton said: " It is about time for lunch, and I think there will be no more to do to-day. Are you familiar with New York? " "No; I have spent very little time in the city." THE STORE BOY 75' " You will, no doubt, like to look about. We have dinner ' at six sharp. You will be on time?" " I will be sure to be here." "That reminds me — have you. a watch?" Ben shook his head. , *' I thought it might be so. I have a good silver watch, which I have no occasion for." Mrs. Hamilton left the room, and quickly returned with a neat silver hunting-case watch, with a gilt chain. " This is yours, Ben," she said, " if you like it." "Do you give it to me?" asked Ben, joyously. He had only expected that it would be loaned to him. " Yes, I give to you, and I hope you will find it useful." " How can I thank you, Mrs. Hamilton, for your kind- ness?" " You are more grateful than Conrad. I gave him one just like it, and he was evidently dissatisfied because it was not gold. When you are older, the gold watch may come." " I am very well pleased with the silver watch, for I have long wanted one, but did not see any way of obtaining it." " You are wise in having moderate desires, Ben. But there goes the lunch bell. You may want to wash your hands. When you have done so, come down to the dining-i room, in the rear of the drawing-room." Mrs. Hill and Conrad were already seated at the table when Ben descended. " Take a seat opposite Conrad, Ben," said Mrs. Hamilton, who was sitting at one end of the table. The lunch was plain but substantial, and Ben, who had taken an early breakfast, enjoyed it. "I suppose we shall not have Conrad at lunch to-mor- row? " said Mrs. Hamilton. " He will be at the store." Conrad made a grimace. He would have enjoyed his free-i dom better. " I won't have much of my four dollars left if I have to pay for lunch," he said, in a surly tone. " You shall have a reasonable allowance for that purpose." "I suppose Mr. Barclay will lunch at home?" said Mrs. Hill. "Certainly, since his work will be here. He is to be my; home clerk, and will keep my accounts." " You needn't have gone out of the house for a . clerk. Cousin Hamilton. I am sure Conrad would have been glad of the work." " It will be better for Conrad to learn business in a largeCj establishment," said Mrs. Hamilton, quietly. This was a new way of looking at it, and helped to recon-i cile Mrs. Hill to an arrangement which at first had disap-.' pointed her. " Have you any engagement this afternoon, Conrad? "- 76 THE STORE BOY asked Mrs. Hamilton. "Ben will have nothing to do, and you could show him the city." " I've got an engagement with a fellow," said Conrad, hastily. " I can find my way about alone, thank you," said Ben. •' I won't trouble Conrad." " Very well. This evening, however, Ben, I think you may enjoy going to the theatre. Conrad can accompany you, un- less he has another engagement." " I'll go with him," said Conrad, more graciously, for he was fond of amusements. " Then we will all meet at dinner, and you two young gen- tlemen can leave in good time for the theatre." CHAPTER XXI AT THE THEATRE ' After dinner, Ben and Conrad started to walk to the the- atre. The distance was about a mile, but in the city there is so much always to be seen that one does not think of distance. Conrad, who was very curious to ascertain Ben's status in the household, lost no time in making inquiries. "What does my aunt find for you to do?" he asked. It may be remarked, by the way, that no such relationship ever existed between them, but Mrs. Hill and her son thought it politic to make the relationship seem as close as pos- sible, as it would, perhaps, increase their apparent claim upon their rich relative. Ben answered the question. " You'll have a stupid time," said Conrad. " All the same, she ought to have given the place to me. How much does she pay you? " Ben hesitated, for he knew that his answer would make his companion discontented. "I am not sure whether I am -at liberty to tell," he an- swered, with hesitation. " There isn't any secret about it, is there? " said Conrad, sharply. " No, I suppose not. I am to receive ten dollars a week." "Ten dollars a week!" ejaculated Conrad, stopping short in the street. . ■ " Yes." "And I get but four! That's a shame!" I " I shall really have no more than you, Conrad. I have I ia mother to provide for, and I shall send home six dollars [^ a week regularly." THE STORE BOY 77' "That doesn't make any difference!" exclaimed Conrad, in excitement. " It's awfully mean of aunt to treat you so much better than she does me." " You mustn't say that to me," said Ben. " She has been kind to us both, and I don't like to hear anything said against her." " You're not going to tell her? " said Conrad, suspiciously. " Certainly not," said Ben, indignantly. " What do you take me for? " " Some fellows would, to set Aunt Hamilton against me." "I am not so mean as that." "I am glad I can depend on you. You see, the old lady is awfully rich — doesn't know what to do with her money — and as she has no son, or anybody nearer than me and inother, it's natural we should inherit her money." "I hope she will enjoy it herself for a good many years." "Oh, she's getting old!" said Conrad, carelessly. "She can't expect to live forever. It wouldn't be fair for young people if their parents lived to a hundred. Now, would it? " " I should be very glad to have my mother live to a hun- dred, if she could enjoy life," said Ben, disgusted with his companion's sordid selfishness. " Your mother hasn't got any money, and that makes a difference." Ben had a reply, but he reflected it would be of little use to argue with one who took such widely different views as Conrad. Moreover, they were already within a block or two of the theatre. The best seats were priced at a dollar and a half, and Mrs. Hamilton had given Conrad three dollars to purchase one for; Ben and one for himself. " It seems an awful price to pay a dollar and a half for a seat," said Conrad. " Suppose we go up into the gallery, where the seats are only fifty cents?" " I think Mrs. Hamilton meant us to take higher-priced seats." " She won't care, or know, unless we choose to tell her," "Then you don't propose to give her back the differ- ence?" " You don't take me for a fool, do you? I'll tell you what I'll do. If you don't mind a fifty-cent seat, I'll give you twenty-five cents out of this money." Ben could hardly believe Conrad was in earnest in this exhibition of meanness. "Then," said he, "you would clear seventy-five cents on my seat and a dollar on your own?" "You can see almost as well in the gallery," said Con- rad. " I'll give-you fifty cents, if you insist upon it." " I insist upon having my share of the money spent for a seat," said Ben, contemptuously. " You can sit where you please, of course. 78 THE STORE BOY " You ain't very obliging," said Conrad, sullenly, " " I need the money, and that's what made me propose it. As you've made so much fuss about it, we'll take orchestra seats." This he did, though unwillingly. " I don't think I shall ever like that boy," thought Ben. " He's a little too mean." They both enjoyed the play, Ben perhaps with the most zest, for he had never before attended a city theatre. At eleven o'clock the curtain fell, and they went out. " Come, Ben," said Conrad, " you might treat a fellow to soda water." "I will," answered Ben. "Where shall we go?" " Just opposite. They've got fine soda water across the street." The boys drank their soda water, and started to go home. " Suppose we go in somewhere and have a game of billiards?" suggested Conrad. " I don't play," answered Ben. "I'll teach you; come along," urged Conrad. " It is getting late, and I would rather not." " I suppose you go to roost with the chickens in the coun- try," sneered Conrad. " You'll learn better in the city — if you stay." " There is another reason," continued Ben. " I suppose it costs money to play billiards, and I have none to spare." " Only twenty-five cents a game." " It will be cheaper to go to bed." " You won't do anything a feller wants you to," grumbled Conrad. " You needn't be so mean, when you are getting ten dollars a week." " I have plenty to do with my money, and I want to save up something every week." On the whole, the boys did not take to each other. They took very different views of life and duty, and there seemed to be small prospect of their becoming intimate friends. Mrs. Hamilton had gone to bed when they returned, but Mrs. Hill was up watching for her son. She was a cold, dis- agreeable woman, but she was devoted to her boy. " I am glad you have come home so soon," she said. " I wanted to play a game of billiards, but Ben wouldn't," grumbled Conrad. " If you had done so, I should have had to sit up later for you, Conrad." " There was no use in sitting up for me. I ain't a baby," responded Conrad, ungratefully. " You know I can't sleep when I know you are out, Con- rad." " Then you're very foolish. Isn't she, Ben?" " My mother would feel just so," answered Ben. Mrs. Hill regarded him almost kindly. He had done hep a good turn in bringing her son home in good season. THE STORE BOY 79 "She may be a disagreeable woman," thought Ben, "but she is good to Conrad," and this made him regard the house- keeper with more favor. CHAPTER XXII A MYSTERIOUS LETTER From time to time, Mrs. Hamilton sent Ben on errands to different parts of the city, chiefly to those who had been started in business with capital which she had supplied. One afternoon, he was sent to a tailor on Sixth Avenue with a note, the contents of which were unknown to him, " You may wait for an answer," said Mrs. Hamilton. He readily found the tailor's shop, and called for Charles Roberts, the proprietor. The latter read the note, and said, in a businesslike tone: " Come to the back part of the shop, and I will show you some goods." Ben regarded him in surprise. "Isn't there some mistake?" he said. "I didn't know I was to look at any goods." " As we are to make a suit for you, I supposed you would have some choice in the matter," returned the tailor, equally surprised. " May I look at the letter? " asked Ben. The tailor put it into his hands. It ran thus: " Mr. Roberts : You will make a suit for the bearer, from any goods he may select, and charge to the account of " Helen Hamilton." " Mrs. Hamilton did not tell me what was in the note," said Ben, smiling. " She is very kind." Ben allowed himself to be guided by the tailor, and the result was a handsome suit, which was sent home in due time, and immediately attracted the attention of Conrad. Ben had privately thanked his patroness, but had felt under no obligation to tell Conrad. "Seems to me you are getting extravagant!" said Con- rad, enviously. " I don't know but I am," answered Ben, good-naturedly. ** How much did you pay for it? " " The price was thirty-five dollars." ** That's too much for a boy in your circumstances to pay." " I think so myself, but I shall make it last a long time." 80 THE STORE BOY " I mean to make Aunt Hamilton buy me a new suit," grumbled Conrad. " I have no objection, I am sure," said Ben. " I didn't ask your permission," said Conrad, rudely. " I wonder what he would say if he knew that Mrs. Ham- ilton paid for my suit?" Ben said to himself. He wisely decided to keep the matter secret, as he knew that Conrad would be provoked to hear of this new proof of his relative's partiality for the boy whom he regarded as a rival. Conrad lost no time in preferring his request to Mrs. Ham-i ilton for a new suit. " I bought you a suit two months since," said Mrs. Ham- ilton, quietly. " Why do you come to me for another so soon?" " Ben has a new suit," answered Conrad, a little confused- " I don't know that that has anything to do with yoii. However, I will ask Ben when he had his last new suit." Ben, who was present, replied: " It was last November." " Nearly a year since. I will take care that you are sup-* plied with new suits as often as Ben." Conrad retired from the presence of his relative much dis-« gusted. He did not know, but suspected, that Ben was in- debted to Mrs. Hamilton for his new suit, and although this did not interfere with a liberal provision for him, he felt unwilling that any one beside himself should bask in the favor of his rich relative. He made a discovery that troubled him about this time. " Let me see your watch, Ben," he said, one day. Ben took out the watch and placed it in his hand. " It's just like mine," said Conrad, after a critical exam-t ination. "Is it?" "Yes; don't you see? Where did you get it?" " It was a gift," answered Ben. "From my aunt?" " It was given me by Mrs. Hamilton." " She seems to be very kind to you,'-' sneered Conrad, witK a scowl. " She is, indeed ! " answered Ben, earnestly. " You've played your cards well," said Conrad, coarsely. " I don't understand you," returned Ben, coldly. " I mean that, knowing her to be rich, you have done well to get on the blind side of her." " I can't accept the compliment, if you mean it as such. I don't think Mrs. Hamilton has any blind side, and the only way in which I intend to commehd myself to her favor is to be faithful to her interests." " Oh, you're mighty innocent; but, all the same, you know how to feather your own nest." " In a good sense, I hope I do. I don't suppose any one THE STORE BOY 81 -else will take the trouble to feather it for me. I think" hon- esty and fidelity are good policy, don't you?" " I don't pretend to be an angel," answered Conrad, sul- lenly. " Nor I," said Ben, laughing. Some days later, Conrad came to Ben one day, looking mora cordial than usual. " Ben," he said, " I have a favor to ask of you." "What is it?" "Will you grant it?" " I want to know first what it is." "Lend me five dollars?" , Ben stared at Conrad in surprise. He had just that amount, after sending home money to his mother, but he intended that afternoon to deposit three dollars out of it in the savings bank, feeling that he ought to be laying up money while he was so favorably situated. " How do you happen to be short of money? " he asked. "That doesn't need telling. I have only four dollars a week pocket money, and I am pinched all the time." "Then, supposing I lent you the money, how could you manage to pay me back out of this small allowance?" " Oh, I expect to get some money in another way, but I can't, unless you lend me the money." "Would you mind telling me how?" " Why, the fact is, a fellow I know — that is, I have heard of him — has just drayVn a prize of a thousand dollars in a [Havana lottery. All he paid for his ticket was five dollars." " And is this the way you expect to make some money? " "Yes; I am almost sure of winning." " Suppose you don't? " "Oh, what's the use of looking at the dark side?" " You are not so sensible as I thought, Conrad," said Ben. *' At least a hundred draw a blank to one who draws a small prize, and the chances are a hundred to one against you." "Then you won't lend me the money?" said Conrad, angrily. " I would rather not." "Then- you're a mean fellow!" "Thank you for your good opinion, but I won't change my determination." " You get ten dollars a week? " " I shall not spend two dollars a week on my own amuse- ment, or for my own purposes." "What are you going to do with the rest, then?" " Part I shall send to my mother; part I mean to put in some savings bank." " You mean to be a miser, then? " " If to save money makes one a miser, then I shall be one." Conrad left the room in an angry mood. He was one with 82 THE STORE BOY whom prosperity didn't agree. Whatever his allowance might be, he wished to spend more. Looking upon himself as Mrs. Hamilton's heir, he could not understand the need or expediency of saving money. He was not wholly to blame for this, as his mother encouraged him, in hopes which had no basis except in his own and her wishes. Not quite three weeks after Ben had become established in his new home, he received a letter which mystified and ex-« cited him. It ran thus: " If you will come at nine o'clock this evening to No. — West Thirty-first Street, and call for me, you will hear;, something to your advantage. James Barnes.''' " It may be something relating to my father's affairs," thought Ben. " I will go." CHAPTER XXIII ben's visit to thirty-first street Ben's evenings being unoccupied, he had no difficulty in meeting the appointment made for him. He was afraid Con- rad might ask him to accompany him somewhere, and thus involve the necessity of an explanation, . which he did not care to give until he had himself found out why he had been summoned. The address given by James Barnes was easy to find. Be& found himself standing before a brick building of no un-- common exterior. The second floor seemed to be lighted up; the windows were hung with crimson curtains, which shut out a view of what was transpiring within. Ben rang the bell. The door was opened by a colored servant, who looked at the boy inquiringly. " Is Mr. Barnes within? " asked Ben. " I don't know the gentleman," was the answer. " He sent me a letter, asking me to meet him here at nine o'clock." "Then I guess it's all right. Are you a telegraph boy?" " No," answered Ben, in surprise. " I reckon it's all right," said the negro rather to himself than to Ben. " Come upstairs." Ben followed his guide, and at the first landing a door was thrown open. Mechanically, Ben followed the servant into the room, but he had not made half a dozen steps when . he looked around in surprise and bewilderment. Novice aa he was, a glance satisfied him that he was in a gambling THE STORE BOY 83 house. The double room was covered with a soft, thick car- pet, chandeliers depended from the ceiling, frequent mir- rors reflecting the brilliant lights enlarged the apparent size of the apartment, and a showy bar at one end of the room held forth an alluring invitation which most failed to resist. Around tables were congregated men, young and old, each with an intent look, watching the varying chances of for- tune. " I'll inquire if Mr. Barnes is here," said Peter, the col- ored servant. Ben stood uneasily looking at the scene till Peter came ba:ck. " Must be some mistake," he said. " There's no gen'le- man of the name of Barnes here." " It's strange," said Ben, perplexed. He turned to go out, but was interrupted. A man with a sinister expression, and the muscle of a prize fighter, walked up to him and said, with a scowl : "What brings you here, kid? " " I received a letter from Mr. Barnes, appointing to meet me here." " I believe you're lying. No such man comes here." " I never lie," exclaimed Ben, indignantly. " Have you got that letter about you? " asked the man, suspiciously. Ben felt in his pocket for the letter, but felt in vain. " I think I must have left it at home," he said, nervously. The man's face darkened. "I believe you come here as a spy," he said. "Then you are mistaken!" said Ben, looking him fear- lessly in the face. " I hope so for your sake. Do you know what kind of a place this is? " " I suppose it is a gambling house," Ben answered, with- out hesitation. "Did you know this before you came here?" " I had not the least idea of it." The man regarded him suspiciously, but no one could look into Ben's honest face and doubt his word. " At any rate, you have found it out. Do you mean to blab?" "No; that is no business of mine." " Then you can go, but take care that you never come here again." " I certainly never will." " Give me your name and address." " Why do you want it? " " Because if you break your word, you will be tracked and punished." " I have no fear," answered Ben, and he gave his name and address. 84 THE STORE BOY " Never admit this boy again, Peter," said the man with whom Ben had been conversing; " neither this boy, nor any other, except a telegraph boy." "All right, sah." A minute later, Ben found himself on the street, very much perplexed by the events of the evening. Who could have invited him to a gambling house, and with what object in view? Moreover, why had not James Barnes kept the appointment he had himself made? These were questions which Ben might have been better able to answer if he could have seen, just around the corner, the triumphant look of one who was stealthily watching him. This person was Conrad Hill, who took care to vacate his position before Ben had reached the place where he was standing. "So far, so good!" he muttered to himself, "Master Ben has been seen coming out of a gambling house. That won't be likely to recommend him to Mrs. Hamilton, and she shall know it before long." Ben could not understand what had become of the note summoning him to the gambling house. In fact, he had dis- lodged it from the vest pocket in which he thrust it, and it had fallen upon the carpet near the desk in what Mrs. Ham- ilton called her " office." Having occasion to enter the room in the evening, his patroness saw it on the carpet, picked it up, and read it, not without surprise. " This is a strange note for Ben to receive," she said to herself. "I wonder what it means?" Of course, she had no idea of the character of the place indicated, but was inclined to hope that some good luck was really in store for her young secretary. " He will be likely to tell me sooner or later," she said to herself. " I will wait patiently, and let him choose his own time. Meanwhile, I will keep the note." Mrs. Hamilton did not see Ben till the next morning. Then he looked thoughtful, but said nothing. He was puzzling himself over what had happened. He hardly knew whether to conclude that the whole thing was a trick, or that the note was written in good faith. " I don't understand why the writer should have appointed to meet me at such a place," he reflected. " Perhaps I shall hear from him again." It was this reflection which led him to keep the matter secret from Mrs. Hamilton, to whom he had been tempted to speak. " I will wait till I know more," he said to himself. " This Barnes knows my address, and he can communicate with me if he chooses." Of course, the reader understands that Conrad was at the bottom of the trick, and that the object was to persuade Mrs. Hamilton that the boy she trusted was in the habit of visit- THE STORE BOY 85 Sng gambling houses. The plan had been suggested by Con- rad, and the details agreed upon by him and his mother. This explains why Conrad was so conveniently near at hand to see Ben coming out of the gambling house. The boy reported the success of this plan to his mother. " I never saw a boy look so puzzled," he said, with a chuckle, " when he came out of the gambling house. I should like to know what sort of a time he had there. I ex- pected he would get kicked out." " I fee] no interest in that matter," said his mother. " I am more interested to know what Cousin Hamilton will say when she finds where her model boy has been." " She'll give him his walking ticket, I hope." "She ought to; but she seems so infatuated with him that there is no telling." " When shall you tell her, mother? " " I will wait a day or two. I want to manage matters so as not to arouse any suspicion." CHAPTER XXIV BEN ON TRIAL "Excuse my intrusion, Cousin Hamilton; I see you are engaged." The speaker was Mrs. Hill, and the person addressed was her wealthy cousin. It was two days after the event re- corded in the last chapter. " I am only writing a note, about which there is no haste. Did you wish to speak to me?" Mrs. Hamilton leaned back in her chair, and waited to hear what Mrs. Hill had to say. There was very little sim- ilarity between the two ladies. One was stout, with a pleas- ant, benevolent face, to whom not only children, but older people, were irresistibly attracted. The other was thin, with cold, gray eyes, a pursed-up mouth, thin lips, who had never succeeded in winning the affection of any one. True, she had married, but her husband was attracted by a small sum of money which she possessed, and which had been reported to him as much larger than it really was. When asked if she wished to speak, Mrs. Hill coughed. " There's a matter I think I ought to speak of," she said, " but it is painful for me to do so." "Why is it painful?" asked Mrs. Hamilton, eying her steadily. " Because my motives may be misconstrued. Then, I fear it will give you pain." 86 THE STORE BOY is sometimes salutary. Has Conrad displeased My " Pain you?" "No, indeed!" answered Mrs. Hill, half indignantly, boy is a great comfort to me." " I am glad to hear it," said Mrs. Hamilton, dryly. For her own part, Mrs. Hamilton thought her cousin's son one of the least attractive young people she had ever met, and save for a feeling of pity, and the slight claims of relationship, would not have been willing to keep him in the house. " I don't see why you should have judged so ill of my poor Conrad," complained Mrs. Hill. " I am glad you are so well pleased with him. Let me know what you have to comm.unicate." "It is something about the new boy — Benjamin." Mrs. Hamilton lifted her eyebrows slightly. " Speak without hesitation," she said. "You will be sure not to misjudge m.e?" "Why should I?" "You might think I was jealous on account of my own boy." "There is no occasion for you to be jealous," " No, of course not. I am sure Conrad and I have abund- ant cause to be grateful to you." " That is not telling me what you came to tell," said Mrs. Hamilton, impatiently. " I am afraid you are deceived in the boy, Cousin Hamil- ton." "In what respect?" ' " I am almost sorry I had not kept the matter secret. If I did not consider it my duty to you, I would have done so." " Be kind enough to speak at once. You need not apolo- gize, nor hesitate on my account. What has Ben been doing? " " On Tuesday evening he was seen coming out of a well- known gambling house." " Who saw him? " " Conrad." "How did Conrad know that it was a gambling house?" " He had had it pointed out to him as such," Mrs. Hill an- swered, with some hesitation. "About what time was this?" "A little after nine in the evening." "And where was the gambling house situated?" " On Thirty-first Street." A peculiar look came over Mrs. Hamilton's face. "And Conrad reported this to you?" " The same evening." "That was Tuesday?" "Yes; I could not make up my mind to tell you immedi- ately, because I did not want to injure the boy." m M THE STORE BOY 87 "You are more considerate than I should have expected." " I hope I am. I don't pretend to like the boy. He seems to have something sly and underhand about him. Still, he needs to be employed, and that made me pause." " Till your sense ' of duty to me overcame your reluc- tance?" " Exactly so. Cousin Hamilton. I am giad you understand so well how I feel about the matter." Mrs. Hill was quite incapable of understanding the irony of her cousin's last remark, and was inclined to be well pleased with the reception her news had met with. " Where is Conrad? " " He is not in the house. He didiVt want me to tell you." " That speaks wel! for him. I must speak to Ben on the subject." She rang the bell, and a servant appeared, " See if Master Ben is in his room," said the lady. " If so, ask him. to come here for five. minutes." Ben was in the house, and in less than two minutes he entered the room. He glanced from one lady to the other in some surprise. Mrs. Hamilton wore her ordinary manner, but Mrs. Hill's mcuth vras more pursed up than ever. , She looked straight before her, and did not look at Ben at all. " Ben," said JMrs. Hamilton, coming to the point at once, " did you visit a gambling house in Thirty-first Street on Tuesday evening? " " I did," answered Ben, promptly. Mrs. Hill moved her hands slightly, and looked horror- stricken. " You must have had some good reason for doing so. I take it for granted you did not go there to gamble?" " No," answered Ben, with a smile. " That is not in ray line." " What other purpose could he have had, Cousin Hamil- ton?" put in Mrs. Hill, maliciously. Ben eyed her curiously. "Did Mrs. Hill tell you I went there?" he asked. " I felt it my duty to do so," said that lady, with acerbity. " I dislike to see my cousin so deceived and imposed upon by one she had befriended." "How did you know I went there, Mrs. Hill?" "Conrod saw you coming out of the gambling house." "I didn't see him. It was curious he happened to be in that neigliborhood just at that time," said Ben, significantly. "'If you mean to insinuate that Conrad goes to such places, you are quite mistaken," said Mrs. Hill, sharply. " It was not that I meant to insinuate at all." "You have not yet told me why you went there, Ben?" said Mrs. Hamilton, mildly. " Because I received a mysterious letter, signed James Barnes, asking me to come to that address about nine o'clock 6 TT 88 THE STORE BOY in the evening. T was told I would hear something of ad- vantage to myself." "Did you meet any such man there?" asked Mrs. Hill. " No." " Have you got the letter you speak of? " asked Mrs. Ham- ilton. " No," answered Ben. " I must have dropped it somewhere. I felt in my pocket for it when I reached the gambling house, but it was gone." Mrs. Hill looked fairly triumphant. "A very queer story!" she said, nodding her head. "I don't believe you received any such letter. I presume you had often been to the same place, to misspend your even- ings." " Do you think so, Mrs. Hamilton? " inquired Ben, anx- iously. " It is a pity you lost that letter, Ben." " Yes, it is," answered Ben, regretfully. " Mrs. Hill," said Mrs. Hamilton, " if you will withdraw, I would like to say a few words to Ben in private." " Certainly, Cousin Hamilton," returned the poor cousin, with alacrity. " I think his race is about run," she said to herself in a tone of congratulation. CHAPTER XXV CONRAD TAKES A BOLD STEP M " I HOPE, Mrs. Hamilton, you don't suspect me of frequent- | ing gambling houses?" said Ben, after his enemy had left J the room. # " No,** answered Mrs. Hamilton, promptly. " I think I 4:^ know you too well for that." V.l " I did go on Tuesday evening, I admit," continued Ben. '■ i" " I saw that Mrs. Hill did not believe it, but it is true. I -■ wish I hadn't lost the letter inviting me there. You might i think I had invented the story." Ml " But I don't, Ben; and, for the best of all reasons, be- pij cause I found the note on the carpet, and have it in my pos- '^ "i session now." .. f "Have you?" exclaimed Ben, gladly. 'J " Here it is," said the lady, as she produced the note from . i the desk before her. " It is singular such a note should have . |^ been sent you," she added, thoughtfully. . q " I think so, too. I had no suspicion when I received it. f but I think now that it was written to get me into a scrape. s= " Then it must have been written by an enemy. Do you i know of any one who would feel like doing you a bad turn? " ^ ,] THE STORE BOY 89] "No," answered Ben, shaking his head. "Do you recognize the handwriting?" i " No; it may have been written by some person I know, buii '■. I have no suspicion and no clew." ! " I think we will let the matter rest for a short time. If we say nothing about it, the guilty person may betray him- : self." "You are very kind to keep your confidence in me, Mrs. Hamilton," said Ben, gratefully. " I trust you as much as ever, Ben, but I shall appear not to — for a time." Ben looked puzzled. " I won't explain myself," said Mrs. Hamilton, with a smile, "but I intend to treat you coolly for a time, as if you had incurred my displeasure. You need not feel sensitive, how- ever, but may consider that I am acting." "Then it may be as well for me to act, too," suggested Ben. "A good suggestion! You will do well to look sober, andl uneasy," " I will do my best," answered Ben, brightly. The programme was carried out. To the great delight of Mrs. Hill and Conrad, Mrs. Hamilton scarcely addressed ai word to Ben at the supper table. When she did speak, it was with an abruptness and coldness quite unusual for th© warm-hearted woman. Ben looked depressed, fixed his eyes on his plate, and took very little part in the conversation. Mrs. Hill and Conrad, on the other hand, seemed in very good spirits. They chatted cheerfully, and addressed an oc- casional word to Ben. They could afford to be magnani- mous, feeling that he had forfeited their rich cousin's favor. After supper, Conrad went into his mother's room. " Our plan's working well, mother," he said, rubbing his hands. " Yes, Conrad, it is. Cousin Hamilton is very angry with! the boy. She scarcely spoke a word to him." " He won't stay long, I'll be bound. Can't you suggest, mother, that he had better be dismissed at once?" " No, Conrad; we have done all that is needed. We can trust Cousin Hamilton to deal with him. She will probably keep him for a short time, till she can get along without his services." " It's lucky he lost the letter. Cousin Hamilton will think he never received any." So the precious pair conferred together. It was clear fliat Ben had two dangerous and unscrupulous enemies in the house. It was all very well to anticipate revenge upon Ben, and his summary dismissal, but this did not relieve Conrad from his pecuniary embarrassments. As a general thing, his weekly allowance was spent by the middle of the week. Ben 90 THE STORE BOY had refused to lend money, and there was no one else he could call upon. Even if our hero was dismissed, there seemed likely to be no improvement in this respect. At this juncture, Conrad was, unfortunately, subjected to a temptation which proved too strong for him. Mrs. Hamilton was the possessor of an elegant opera glass, which she had bought some years previous in Paris at a cost of fifty dollars. Generally, when not in use, she kept it locked up in a bureau drawer. It so happened, however, that it had been left out on a return from a matinee, and lay upon her desk, where it attracted the attention of Con- rad. It was an unlucky moment, for he felt very hard up. He wished to go to the theatre in the evening with a friend, but had no money. It flashed upon him that he could raise a considerable sum on the opera glass at Simpson's, a well-known pawnbroker on the Bowery, and he could, without much loss of time, stop there on his way down to business. Scarcely giving himself time to think, he seized the glass and thrust it into the pocket of his overcoat. Then, putting on his coat, he hurried from the house. Arrived at the pawnbroker's, he produced the glass, and asked : "How much will you give me on this?" The attendant looked at the glass, and then at Conrad. "This is a very valuable glass," he said. "Is it yours?" " No," answered Conrad, glibly. " It belongs to a lady in reduced circumstances, who needs to raise money. She will probably be able to redeem it soon." " Did she send you here? " " Yes." " We will loan you twenty dollars on it. Will that be sat- isfactory?" " Quite so," answered Conrad, quite elated at the sum, which exceeded his anticipations. " Shall we make out the ticket to you or the lady? " " To me. The lady does not like to have her name appear in the matter." This is so frequently the case that the statement created no surprise. "What is your name?" inquired the attendant. "Ben Barclay," answered Conrad, readily. The ticket was made out, the money paid over, and Con- rad left the establishment. " Now I am in funds ! " he said to himself, " and there is no danger of detection. If anything is ever found out, it will be Ben who will be in trouble, not I." It was not long before Mrs. Hamilton discovered her loss. She valued the missing opera glass, for reasons which need not be mentioned, far beyond its intrinsic value, and though THE STORE BOY 91 she could readily have supplied its place, so far as money- was concerned, she would not have been as well pleased with any new glass, though precisely similar, as with the one she had used for years. She remembered that she had not replaced the glass in the drawer, and, therefore, searched for it wherever she thought it likely to have been left. But in vain. " Ben," she said, " have you seen my glass anywhere about? " " I think," answered Ben, " that I saw it on your desk." "It is not there now, but it must be somewhere in the house." She next asked Mrs. Hill. The housekeeper was entirely ignorant of Conrad's theft, and answered that she had not seen it. " I ought not to have left it about," said Mrs. Hamilton. " It may have proved too strong a temptation to some one of the servants." " Or some one else," suggested Mrs. Hill, significantly. " That means Ben," thought Mrs. Hamilton, but she did not say so. " I would ferret out the matter if I were you," continued Mrs. Hill. " I intend to," answered Mrs. Hamilton, quietly. " I valued the glass far beyond its cost, and I will leave no means un- tried to recover it." " You are quite right, too." When Conrad was told that the opera glass had been lost, he said : "Probably Ben stole it." "So I think," assented his mother. "But it will be found out. Cousin Hamilton has put the matter into the hands of a detective." For the moment, Conrad felt disturbed. But he quickly recovered himself. " Pshaw r they can't trace it to me," he thought. " They will put it on Ben." CHAPTER XXVI MR. LYNX, THE DETECTIVE The detective who presented himself to Mrs. Hamilton was a quiet-looking man, clad in a brown suit. Except that his eyes were keen and searching, his appearance was disap- pointing. Conrad met him as he was going out of the house, and said to himself, contemptuously : " He looks like a muff." " I have sent for you, Mr, Lynx," said Mrs. Hamilton, " to see if you can help me in a matter I will explain to you," 92 THE STORE BOY and then she gave him all the information she possessed about the loss of the opera glass. "How valuable was the glass?" inquired Mr. Lynx. " It cost fifty dollars in Paris," said Mrs. Hamilton. " But you set a higher value upon it for other reasons? Just so." " You are right." " Will you favor me with an exact description of the ar- ticle?" said the detective, producing his . notebook. Mrs. Hamilton did so, and the detective made an entry. " Have you ever had anything taken out of your house by outside parties?" he asked. " On one occasion, when my brother was visiting me, his overcoat was taken from the hatstand in the hall." " A sneak thief, of course. The glass, however, was not so exposed." " No; it was not on the lower floor at all." " It looks, then, as if it was taken by some one in the house." " It looks so," said Mrs. Hamilton, gravely. "Have you confidence in your servants? Or, rather have you reason to suspect any of them?" " I believe they are honest. I don't believe they would be tempted by such an article." " Not, perhaps, for their own use, but a glass like this may loe pawned for a considerable sum. Being of peculiar ap- pearance, the thief would be hardly likely to use it himself or herself. Detection would be too sure." " No doubt you are right." " How long has the glass been missing?" resumed the de- tective. " Three days." " No doubt it has been pawned by this time. Your course is clear." "And what is that?" " To make a tour of the pawnshops, and ascertain whether such an article has been brought to any one of them." " Very well, Mr. Lynx. I leave the matter in your hands. I trust everything to your judgment." " Thank you. I will try to deserve your confidence. And now, good-day. I may call upon you to-morrow," Mr. Lynx left the presence of the lady, and went down- stairs. He had just reached the bottom of the staircase, when a thin lady glided from the rear of the hall, and spoke to him. " Are you the detective summoned by Mrs. Hamilton? " she asked. " Yes, madam," answered Mr. Lynx, surveying the house- teeper attentively. " I am Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper," said she. " I may add that I am a cousin of Mrs. Hamilton's." THE STORE BOY 93 Mr. Lynx bowed, and waited for further information. He knew who was addressing him, for he had questioned Mrs. Hamilton as to the different inmates of the house. " I stopped you," said Mrs. Hill, " because I have my sus- picions, and I thought I might help you in this investiga-i tion." " I shall feel indebted to you for any help you can afford. Do you mind telling me upon what your suspicions rest? " " I don't like to accuse or throw suspicions on any one," said the housekeeper, " but I think it is my duty to help my cousin in this matter." "Undoubtedly," said Mr. Lynx, noticing that she paused. " Proceed." " You may or may not be aware that my cousin employs a boy of about sixteen, whom, as I think, she engaged rather rashly, without knowing anything of his antecedents. He assists her in her writing and accounts." "His name is Benjamin Barclay, is it not?" " Yes." " Do you know anything of his habits? " " He is very plausible. In fact, I think his appearance is in his favor; but I think he is sly. Still water, you know, runs deep." Mr. Lynx bowed assent. " I was disposed," proceeded Mrs. Hill, artfully, " to think well of the boy, and to approve my cousin's selection, until last week he was seen leaving a well-known gambling house in Thirty-first Street." "Indeed! That is certainly suspicious." "Is it not?" "Who saw him leave the gambling house, Mrs. Hill?" " My son, Conrad." " Curious that he should have been near at the time." " He was taking a walk. He generally goes out in the evening." "Of course your son would not visit such a place?" "Certainly not," answered Mrs. Hill, looking offended at the suggestion. "By the way, are the twc boys intimate? Do they seem to like each other?" " My Conrad always treats the other boy well, out of com- mon politeness, but I don't think he likes him very well." " Is your son in any situation? " " He is now." "Was he at the time this Benjamin was engaged by Mrs. Hamilton? " " No." " Rather singular that she did not employ your son, instead of seeking out a stranger, isn't it?" "Now that you mention it, I confess that I did feel hurt 94 THE STORE BOY at the slight to my boy. However, I don't wish to interfere with Cousin Hamilton, or obtrude my son upon her." "Strong jealousy there!" thought the detective. " So you think this Ben Barclay may have taken the glass?" he said, inquiringly. " I do. Since he visits gambling houses, he doubtless squanders money, and can fmd a market for more than he can honestly earn." "As you say, gambling often leads to dishonesty. Does Mrs. Hamilton know that her protege visited a gambling house? " " Yes." "Mentioned it to him, I suppose?" " Yes." " Of course, he denied it? " "No; he admitted it, but said he received a letter from a stranger appointing to meet him there. It is rather cu- rious that he couldn't show the letter, however. He pre- tended he had lost it." "Did Mrs. Hamilton believe him?" " I don't know. I think not, for, though she has not dis- charged him, she treats him very coldly." "Have you any further information to give me?" " No. I hope this will be of some service to you." " I think it will. Thank you, and good-afternoon." "There! I have prejudiced him against Ben," said Mrs. Hill to herself, with a satisfied smile. " These detectives are glad of a hint, sharp as they think themselves. If he finds out that it is Ben, he will take all the credit to him- self, and never mention me in the matter. However, that is just what I wish. It is important that I should not appear too active in getting the boy into trouble, or I may be thought to be influenced by interested motives, though, Heaven knows, I only want justice for myself and my boy. The sooner we get this boy out of the house, the better it will be for us." As Mr. Lynx left the house, he smiled to himself. " That woman and her son hate Ben Barclay, that much is certain, and look upon him as an interloper and a rival. I rather sympathize with the poor fellow. I should be sorry to fmd him guilty, but I shall not stop short till I have fer- reted out the truth." CHAPTER XXVII THE TELLTALE TICKET Conrad still had the pawnbroker's ticket which he had re- ceived in return for the opera glass, and did hot quite know THE STORE BOY 95 what to do with it. He didn't intend to redeem the glass, and if found in his possession, it would bring him under suspicion. Now that a detective had the matter in charge, it occurred to him that it would be well to have the ticket found in Ben's room. . The two had rooms upon the same floor, and it would, therefore, be easy to slip into Ben's chamber and leave it somewhere about. Now, it chanced that Susan, the chambermaid, was about, though Conrad did not see her, when he carried out his pur- pose, and, instigated by curiosity, she peeped through the half-open door, and saw him place the ticket on the bureau. Wondering what it was, she entered the room after Con- rad had vacated it, and found the ticket Conrad had placed there. Susan knew what a pawnbroker's ticket was, and read it with curiosity. She saw that it was made out to Ben Barclay. " How, then, did Master Conrad get hold of it? " she said to herself. " It's my belief he's trying ' to get Master Ben into trouble. It's a shame, it is, for Master Ben is a gentle- man and he isn't." Between the two boys, Susan favored Ben, who always treated her with consideration, while Conrad liked to order about the servants, as if they were made to wait upon him. After Conrad had disposed of the pawn ticket, he said, carelessly, to his mother: "Mother, if I were you, I'd look into Ben's room. You might And the opera glass there." " I don't think he'd leave it there. He would pawn it" "Then you might find the ticket somewhere about." Upon this hint, Mrs. Hill went up to Ben's room, and there, upon the bureau, she naturally found the ticket. "'I thought so," she said to herself. "Conrad was righL The boy is a thief. Here is the ticket made out to him by name. Well, well, he's brazen enough, in all conscience! Now, shall I show it to Cousin Hamilton at once, or shall I wait until the detective has reported? " On the whole, Mrs. Hill decided to wait. She could delay •with safety, for she had proof which would utterly crush and confound the hated interloper. Meanwhile, the detective pursued his investigations. Of course, he visited Simpson's, and there he learned that the opera glass, which he readily recognized from the descrip- tion, had been brought there a few days previous. "■Who brought it?" he asked. "■A boy of about sixteen." ""Did he give his name?" The books were referred to, and the attendant answered in the affirmative. " He gave the name of Ben Barclay," he answered. 96 THE STORE BOY "Do you think that was his real name?" asked the de-» tective. " That depends on whether he had a right to pawn it." " Suppose he stole it? " " Then, probably, he did not give his real name." " So I think," said Mr. Lynx, quietly. "Do you know if there is a boy by that name?" " There is; but I doubt if he knows anything about the matter." " I will call again, perhaps to-morrow," he added. " I must report to my principal what I have discovered." From Simpson's he went straight to Mrs. Hamilton, who had as yet received no communication from the house- keeper. " Well, Mr. Lynx," she asked, with interest, " have you heard anything of the glass?" " I have seen it," was the quiet reply. "Where?" "At a well-known pawnshop on the Bowery." " Did you learn who left it? " asked Mrs. Hamilton, eagerly. " A boy — about sixteen years of age — who gave the name of Ben Barclay!" " I can't believe Ben would be guilty of such a disgraceful act!" ejaculated Mrs. Hamilton, deeply moved. CHAPTER XXVill MRS. hill's malice At this moment there was a low knock on the door. "Come in!" said Mrs. Hamilton. Mrs. Hill, the housekeeper, glided in, with her usual stealthy step. " I really beg pardon for intruding," she said, with a slight cough, " but I thought perhaps I might throw light on the matter Mr. Lynx is investigating." "Well?" said the detective, eying her attentively. " I had occasion to go into Ben's room to see if the girl had put things in order, when my attention was drawn to a ticket upon the bureau. You can tell whether it is of importance," and she handed it, with an air of deference, to Mr. Lynx. "What is it?" asked Mrs. Hamilton. " It is a pawnticket," answered Mr. Lynx, attentively. "Let me see it, please!" Mrs. Hamilton regarded it with mingled pain and incre- dulity. " I need not say," continued the housekeeper, " that I was THE STORE BOY 97 surprised and saddened at this evidence of the boy's de- pravity. Cousin Hamilton has been so kind to him that it seems like the height of ingratitude," " May I ask, madam," said Mr. Lynx, " if your suspicions had fastened on this boy, Ben, before you found the pawn ticket?" " To tell the truth, they had." "And what reason had you for forming such suspicions?" "I knew that the boy frequented gambling houses, and, of course, no salary, however large, would be sufficient for a boy with such habits." Mrs. Hamilton did not speak, which somewhat embarrassed Mrs. Hill. Mr. Lynx, however, was very affable, and thanked her for her assistance. " I felt it my duty to assist Cousin Hamilton," said she, *' though I am sorry for that ungrateful boy. I will now withdraw, and leave you to confer together." Mrs. Hill would like to have been invited to remain, but such an invitation was not given. " What do you think, Mr. Lynx? " asked Mrs. Hamilton. "I think your housekeeper does not like Ben Barclay," he answered, dryly. " And you don't think him guilty? " she asked, eagerly. " No; the boy isn't fool enough, first, to give his own name at the pawnbroker's, and next, to leave the ticket exposed in his room." " How then did it come there?" Mr. Lynx was saved the trouble of answering by another tap on the door. / " Who is it now? " he said. He stepped to the door, and opening it, admitted Susan, "What is it, Susan," asked Mrs. Hamilton, in some sur- prise. "Did Mrs. Hill bring you a pawn ticket, ma'am?" " And what do you know about it? " demanded Mr. Lynx, brusquely. " And did she say she found it on Master Ben's bureau? " "Yes, Susan," said the mistress; "what can you tell us about it? " " I can tell you this, ma'am, that I saw Master Conrad steal into the room this morning, and put it there with his own hands." " Ha! this is something to the purpose," said the detective, briskly. " Are you sure of this, Susan? " asked Mrs. Hamilton, evi- dently shocked. " I can take my Bible oath of it, ma'am; and it's my belief that he's tryin' to get Master Ben into trouble." " Thank you, Susan," said her mistress. " You have done not only Ben, but myself, a valuable service. You can go. I will see that you do not regret it." 98 THE STORE BOY " Don't tell Mrs. Hill that I told you, or she'd be my enemy for life!" " I will see to that." As Susan left the room, Mr. Lynx said: "You won't require my services any longer. It is clear enough who pawned the glass." " You mean " " I mean the boy, Conrad, whose mother was so anxious to fix the guilt upon your young secretary. If you have the slightest doubt about it, invite the young gentleman to ac- company you to Simpson's to redeem the opera glass." " I will." CHAPTER XXIX SOME UNEXPECTED CHANGES When Conrad came home his first visit was to his mother. " Has anything been found out about the stolen opera glass?" he asked, with a studied air of indifference. " I should say there had," she answered. " I followed the clew you suggested, and searched the boy's room. On the bureau I found the pawn ticket." "You don't say so! What a muff Ben must have been to leave it around so carelessly! What did you do with it?" " I waited till Mr. Lynx was conferring with Cousin Ham- ilton, and then I carried it in and gave it to them." "What did they say?" asked Conrad, eagerly. " They seemed thunderstruck, and Mr. Lynx very politeJy thanked me for the help I had given them." " Has Ben been bounced yet? " "No; but doubtless he will be very soon. Cousin HamiK- ton doesn't want to think him a thief and gambler, but there seems no way of escaping from such a mass of proof.'" " I should say not. Do you think she's told Ben? Does he look do\\m in the mouth?" continued Conrad. " I haven't seen him since." When they met at the table Mrs. Hamilton's manner toward Ben was decidedly frigid, as Conrad and his mother saw, much to their satisfaction. Ben looked sober, but his appetite did not appear to be affected. "Your course is about run, young man!" thought Mrs. Hill. " I should like to see you after supper, Conrad," said Mis. Hamilton. " Come into my sitting-room." " I wonder if she is going to give me Ben's place," thought Conrad, hardly knowing whether he wished it or not. THE STORE BOY 99 With a jaunty air and a self-satisfied smile, he followed Mrs. Hamilton into her " private office," as she sometimes called it. ■ x " Shut the door, Conrad," she said. He did so. " I have heard news of the opera glass," she commenced. " Mother gave me a hint of that," said Conrad. " It was stolen and pawned at Simpson's on the Bowery." "It's a gi^eat shame!" said Conrad, thinking that a safe comment to make. " Yes, it was a shame and a disgrace to the one who took it." " I didn't think Ben would do such a thing," continued Conrad, growing bolder. " Nor L" said Mrs. Hamilton. " After all you've done for him, too. I never liked the boy, for my part." " So I suspected," said Mrs. Hamilton, dryly. " However, I will tell you what I want of you, I am going down to Simpson's to-morrow to redeem the glass, and want you to go with me." "You want me to go with you! " ejaculated Conrad, turn- ing pale. " Yes ; I don't care to go to that part of the city by my- self, and I will take you to keep me company." "But I must go to the office," faltered Conrad. " I will send Ben to say that you can't go to-morrow." " Why don't you take Ben to Simpson's, or the detective? " suggested Conrad, in great alarm, bethinking himself that it would hardly do to take Ben, since the attendant would certify that he was not the one who pawned the glass. " Because I prefer to take you. Have you any objection to go?" "Oh, no, of course not!" answered Conrad, not daring to make any further objection. In the morning Mrs. Hill came to Mrs. Hamilton, and said : "Poor Conrad has a terrible toothache! He is afraid he won't be able to go with you to Simpson's. Will you kindly excuse him? " Mrs. Hamilton expected some such excuse. "I will take Ben, then," she said. "Are you going to keep that boy — after what he has 'done? " asked the housekeeper. "It is inconvenient for me to part with him just yet." "Then — I hope you will excuse the suggestion — I advise you to keep your bureau drawers locked." " I think it best myself," said Mrs. Hamilton. " Is Conrad's toothache very bad?" "The poor fellow is in great pain." When Ben was invited by Mrs. Hamilton to go to the (pawnbroker's he made no objection. 100 THE STORE BOY " It is only fair to tell you, Ben," said Mrs. Hamilton, " that the person who pawned the opera glass gave your name." "Then," said Ben, "I should like to know who it is?" "I think I know," said his patroness; "but when we re- deem the glass we will ask for a description of him." An hour later they entered the pawnbroker's shop. Mrs. Hamilton presented the ticket and made herself known. " Will you tell me," she asked, " whether you have ever seen the young gentleman that accompanies me?" " Not to my knowledge," answered the attendant, after at- tentively regarding Ben. " Can you remember the appearance of the boy who pawned the opera glass?" " He was taller than this boy, and pale. He was thinner also. His hair was a light brown." A light dawned upon Ben, and his glance met that of Mrs. Hamilton, so that she read his suspicions. " I think we both know who it was that took your name, Ben," she said; "but for the present I wish you to keep it secret." " I will certainly do so, Mrs. Hamilton." " I am placed in difBcult circumstances, and have not made up my mind what to do." " I hope you won't allow yourself to be prejudiced against me by any false stories?" "No; I can promise you that. I have perfect confidence in you." " Thank you for that, Mrs. Hamilton," said Ben, grate-i fully. " Yet I am about to take a course that will surprise you.'* "What is that?" " I am going to let you leave me for a time, and put Con-i rad in your place." Ben looked bewildered, as well he might. There was nothing that would have surprised him more. " Then I am afraid you don't find me satisfactory," he said, anxiously. "Why not?" " You discharge me from your service." " No," answered Mrs. Hamilton, smiling; " I have other: work for you to do. I mean to give you a confidential com- mission," Ben's face brightened up immediately. . " You will find me faithful," he said, " and I hope I may repay your confidence." " I think you will, I will explain matters to you before you reach the house, as I don't want Mrs. Hill or Conrad to know about the matter. Indeed, for reasons of my own, I shall let them think that I discharged you." Ben smiled; he was not averse to such a plan. " Now for the business. I own a farm in the western part THE STORE BOY 101 of Pennsylvania. I have for years let it for a nominal sum to a man named Jackson. Of late he has been very anxious to buy it, and has offered me a sum greater, than I had sup- posed it to be worth. As I know him to be a close-fisted man, who has tried more than once to get me to reduce the small rent I charge him, this naturally excites my curiosity. I think something has been discovered that enhances the value of the farm, and, if so, I want to know it. You are a boy, and a visit to the neighborhood will not excite sur- prise." " I understand," said Ben. " When do you wish me to start?" " This afternoon. I have prepared written instructions, and here is a pocketbook containing a hundred and fifty dol- lars for expenses." "Shall I need so much?" " Probably not; but I wish you to be amply provided. You will remove all your things from my house, but you may store anything you don't need to carry." When Conrad heard that Mrs. Hamilton had taken Ben with her, he was alarmed lest it should be discovered that the boy pawning the opera glass was not Ben but himself. When, upon Mrs. Hamilton's return, he was summoned to her presence, he entered with trepidation. "Is your toothache better, Conrad?" asked Mrs. Hamil- ton. "A little better, thank you." " I am going to make a change in your position. Ben is to leave me, and you will take his place as my secretary." Conrad's heart bounded with joy and surprise. "How can I thank you. Cousin Hamilton!" he said, with a feeling of great relief. "By serving me well." "All has turned out for the best, mother," said Conrad, joyfully, as he sought his mother's presence. " Ben is bounced, and I am to take his place." "Heaven be praised!" ejaculated Mrs. Hill. " I hope you'll soon find a place," said Conrad, mockingly, when Ben left the house, valise in hand. " I think I shall," answered Ben, calmly. CHAPTER XXX BEN " GOES WEST " Undisturbed by the thought that his departure was viewed with joy by Conrad and his mother, Ben set out on his Western journey. 102 THE STORE BOY i His destination was Centerville, in Western Pennsylvania, i I may as well say that this is not the real name of the place, which, for several reasons, I conceal. ; Though Ben was not an experienced traveler, he found '- no difficulty in reaching his destination, having purchased ' a copy of "Appleton's Railway Guide," which afforded him i all the information he required. About fifty miles this side l of Centerville he had for seat companion a man of middle ] age, with a pleasant face covered with a brown beard, who, ] after reading through a Philadelphia paper which he haa:| purchased of the train-boy, seemed inclined to have a social i chat with Ben. < " May I ask your destination, my young friend?" he asked. !< Ben felt that it was well for him to be cautious, though] he was pleasantly impressed with the appearance of his^ companion. '^ " I think I shall stop over at Centerville," he said. | "Indeed! That is my destination." | "Do you live there?" asked Ben. 'h "No," said the other, laughing. "Do I look like it? I :? thought you would read ' JN'ew York ' in my face and man- J ner." 1 " I am not an experienced observer," said Ben, modestly; | " Centerville has a prosperous future before it," said thoj stranger. | " Has it? I don't know much about the place. I never | was there." i "You know, of course, that it is in the oil region?" J " I didn't even know that." | " A year ago," resumed the stranger, " it was a humdrural farming town, and not a very prosperous one either. TheJ land is not of good quality, and the farmers found it hard ^ work to get a poor living. Now all is< changed." j Ben's attention was aroused. He began to understand why if Mr. Jackson wished to buy the farm he rented from Mrs.J Hamilton. -'^ " This is all new to me," he said. " I suppose oil has been^f found there? " | "Yes; one old farm, which would have been dear at three ^ thousand dollars, is now yielding hundreds of barrels, daily, | and would fetch fifty thousand dollars easily." | Ben began to be excited. If he could only sell Mrs. Ham-';;' ilton's farm for half that he felt that he would be doing an ''] excellent thing. v " I suppose you are interested in some of the petroleum )■ wells? " he said. } " Not yet, but I hope to be. In fact, I don't mind con- 'i!>. fessing that I represent a New York syndicate, and that my jj object in making this journey is to purchase, if I can, thel Jackson farm." '•% /i THE STORE BOY 103 ".The Jackson farm!" repeated Ben, Lis breath almost taken away by his surprise. "Yes; do you know anything about it?" asked his com- panion. '■I have heard of a farmer in Centerville named Peter Jackson." " That is the man." " And his farm is one of the lucky ones, then? " " it promises to be." " I suppose, then, you will have to pay a large sum for it? " said Ben, trying to speak calmly. " Jackson is very coy, and, I think, grasping. He v»^ants fifty thousand dollars." " Of course you won't pay as much ? " "I should hjidly feel authorized to do so. I may go as high as forty liiousand dollars." Ben wa:- dMzlid, U he could effect a sale at this price he would jje doing a splendid stroke of business, and .:/:'. effectually defeat the plans of Mr. Jackson, who, it a^ had pretended that lie was the owner of the fr.rm,' i^oynxy to obtain it from Mrs. Hamilton at a valuation which would have been suitable before the discovery of oil, but now would be ludicrously disproportionate to its real value. "Shall I or shall I not, tell this gentleman the truth?"" he reflected. He thought over the matter, and decided to do so. The discovery must be made sooner or later, and there would be no advantage in delay. " 1 don't think Jackson will sell," he said. " Why nc t ? " asked the stranger, in surprise. " Do you know him? " " I never saw him in my life." "Then how can you form any opinion on the subject?" Ben smiled. " The ansvN'er is easy enough," he said. " Mr. Jackson can't sell what he doesn't own." " Do you mean to say that he is not the owner of the farm which he proposes to sell us?" " That is just what I mean. He is no more the owner than you or I." " You speak confidently, young man. Perhaps you can tell me who is the owner?" " I can. The owner is Mrs. Hamilton, of New York." "Indeed! That is a genuine surprise. Can you give me her address? I should like to communicate with her." "I will cheerfully give you her address, but it won't be necessary, for I represent her." "You!" exclaimed the stranger, incredulously. "Yes; and I am going out to Centerville now as her agent. This Jackson, w!'0 is her tenant, has been urging her to sell him the farm for some time, lie has offered a sum larger 7 TT 104 THE STORE BOY than the farm would be worth but for the discovery of petroleum, but has taken good care not to speak of this." " How much does he offer? " " Five thousand dollars." " The rascal ! He offers five thousand, and expects us to pay him fifty thousand dollars for his bargain. What an unmitigated swindle it would have been if he had carried out his scheme! " " Perhaps you would like to see his last letter?" said Ben. " I should. I want to see what the old rascal has to say for himself." Ben took from his pocket the letter in question, and put it into the hands of his new acquaintance. It was dated at Genterville, October 21. It Vs^as written in a cramped hand, showing ttiat the farmer was not accus'= tomed to letter-writing. It ran thus: " Respected Madam : "As I have already wrote you, I would like to buy the farm, and will give you more than anybody else, because I am used to living on it, and it seems like home. I am will- ing to pay five thousand dollars, though I know it is only worth four, but it is worth more to me than to others. I offer you more because I know you are rich, and will not sell unless you get a good bargain. Please answer right away. Yours respectfully, " Peter Jackson. " P. S. — My offer will hold good for only two weeks." " He seems to be very much in earnest," said Ben. " He has reasons to be so, as he hopes to make forty-five thousand dollars on his investment." " He will be bitterly disappointed," said Ben. " I don't care anything about Jackson," said the stranger. "I would just as soon negotiate with you. Are you au- thorized to sell the farm?" " No," answered Ben; "but Mrs. Hamilton will probably be guided by my advice in the matter." " That amounts to the same thing. I offer you forty thou- sand dollars for it." " I think favorably of your proposal, Mr. " " My name is Taylor." "Mr. Taylor; but I prefer to delay answering till I am on the ground and can judge better of the matter." " You are right. I was surprised at first that Mrs. Hamil- ton should have selected so young an agent. I begin to think her choice was a judicious one." THE STORE BOY 105 CHAPTER XXXI MR. JACKSON RECEIVES A CALL "Suppose we join forces, Ben," said Mr. Taylor, family iarly. " How do you mean? " "We will join forces against this man Jackson. He wants to swindle both of us — that is, those whom we represent." " I am willing to work with you," answered Ben,, who had been favorably impressed by the appearance and frank- ness of his traveling companion. " Then suppose to-morrow morning — it is too late to- day — we call over and see the old rascal?" " I would rather not have him know on what errand I come, just at first." " That is in accordance with my own plans. You will go as my companion. He will take you for my son, or nephew, and, while I am negotiating, you can watch and judge for; yourself." " I like the plan," said Ben. " When he finds out who you are he will feel pretty badlj^ sold." " He deserves it." The two put up at a country hotel, which, though nofi luxurious, was tolerably comfortable. After the fatigue of his journey, Ben enjoyed a good supper and a comfortable bed. The evening, however, he spent in the public room of the inn, where he had a chance to listen to the conversation of a motley crowd, some of them natives and residents, others strangers who had been drawn to. Centerville by the oil discoveries. " I tell you," said a long, lank individual, " Centerville's goin' to be one of the smartest places in the United States. It's got a big future before it." "That's so," said a small, wiry man; "but I'm not so much interested in that as I am in the question whether I've got a big future before me." " You're one of the owners of the Homan farm, ain't you? " " Yes. I wish I owned the whole of it. Still I've made nigh on to a thousand dollars durin' the last month for my share of the profits. Pretty fair eh?" " I should say so. You've got a good purchase; but there's one better in my opinion." "Where's that?" " Peter Jackson's farm." Here Ben and Mr. Taylor began to listen with interest, "He hasn't begun to work it any, has he?" " Not much, but just enough to find out its value." "What's he waitin' for?" 106 THE STORE BOY " There's some New York people want it. If he can get his price, he'll sell it to them for a good sum down." "What does he ask?" " He wants fifty thousand dollars." " Whew! that's rather stifflsh. I thought the property be- longed to a lady in New York." " So it did; but Jackson says he bought it a year ago." " He was lucky." Ben and Mr. Taylor looked at each other again. It was easy to see the old farmer's game, and to understand why he was so anxious to secure the farm, out of which he could make so large a sum of money. " He's playing a deep game, Ben," said Taylor, when they had left the room. "Yes; but I think I shall be able to put a spoke in his wheel." " I shall be curious to see how he takes it when he finds the negotiation taken out of his hands. We'll play with him a little, as a cat plays with a mouse." The next morning, after a substantial breakfast. Ben and his new friend took a walk to the farm occupied by Peter Jackson. It was about half a mile away, and, when reached, gave no indication of the wealth it was capable of producing. The farmhouse was a plain structure nearly forty years old, badly in need of paint, and the outbuildings harmonized with it in appearance. A little way from the house was a tall, gaunt man, engaged in mending a fence. He was dressed in a. farmer's blue frock and overalls, and his gray, stubby beard seemed to be of a* week's growth. There was a crafty, greedy look in his eyes, which overlooked a nose sharp and aquiline. His feet were incased in a pair of cowhide boots. He looked in- quiringly at Taylor as he approached, but hardly deigned to look at Ben, who prbbably seemed too insignificant for no- tice. He gave a shrewd guess at the errand of the visitor, but waited for him to speak first. " Is this Mr. Jackson? " asked Taylor, with a polite bow. " That's my name, stranger," answered the old man. " My name is Taylor. I wrote to you last week." " I got the letter," said Jackson, going on with his work. It was his plan not to seem too eager, but to fight shy in order that he might get his price. Besides, though he would have been glad to close the bargain on the spot, there was an embarrassing difficulty. The farm was not his to seU, and he was anxiously awaiting Mrs. Hamilton's answer to his proposal. " She can't have heard of the oil discoveries," he thought, *' and five thousand dollars will seem a big price for the farm. She can't help agreeing to my terms." This consideration made him hopeful, but for all that he must wait, and waiting he found very tantalizing. THE STORE BOY 107 "*:c[ave you decided to accept my offer, Mr. Jackson?" "Waal, I'll have to take a leetle time to consider. How much did you say you'd give?" " Forty thousand dollars." "I'd ought to have fifty." "Forty thousand dollars is a big sum of money." " And this farm is a perfect gold mine. Shouldn't wonder if it would net a hundred thousand dollars." " There is no certainty of that, and the purchasers will have to take a big risk." " There isn't much risk. Ask anybody in Genterville what he thinks of the Jackson farm." " Suppose I were ready to come to your terms — mind, I don't say I am — would you sign the papers to-day? " Jackson looked perplexed. He knew he could not do it. "What's your hurry?" he said. " The capitalists whom I represent are anxious to get to work as soon as possible. That's natural, isn't it? " " Ye-es," answered Jackson. " So, the sooner we fix matters the better. I want to go back to New York to-morrow if I can." " I don't think I can give my answer so soon as that. Wait a minute, though." A boy was approaching, Jackson's son, if one could judge from the resemblance, holding a letter in his hand. " Come right here, Abner," he called out, eagerly. Abner approached, and his father snatched the letter from his hand. It bore the New York postmark, but, on opening it, Jackson looked bitterly disappointed. He had hoped it was from Mrs. Hamilton, accepting his offer for the farm; but, instead of that, it was an unimportant circular. "I'll have to take time to think over your offer, Mr. Tay- lor," he said. " You oee, I'll have to talk over matters with the old woman." " By the way," said Taylor, carelessly, " I was told in the village that you didn't own the farm — that it was owned by a lady in New York." "She used to own it," said the farmer, uneasily; "but I bought it of her a year ago." " So that you have a right to sell it? " " Of course I have." "What have you to say to that, Ben?" asked Taylor, quietly. " That if Mrs. Hamilton has sold the farm to Mr. Jackson she doesn't know it." " What do you mean, boy? " gasped Jackson, " I mean that when I left New York Mrs. Hamilton owned the farm." " It's a lie! " muttered the farmer; but he spoke with diffi-* culty. " I bought it a year ago." 108 THE STORE BOY " In that case it is strange that you should have written a week ago offering five thousand dollars for the farm." "Who says I wrote?" "I do; and I have your letter in my pocket," answered Ben, firmly. CHAPTER XXXII BEN SELLS THE FARM The farmer stared at Ben panic-stricken. He had thought success within his grasp. He was to bo a rich man — inde- pendent for life — as the result of the trick which he was playing upon Mrs. Hamilton. His disappointment was in- tense, and he looked the picture of discomfiture. " I don't believe you," he faltered after a pause. Ben drew a letter from his inside pocket and held it up. " Do you deny the writing? " he said. "Give it to me!" said Jackson, with a sudden movement. "No, thank you; I prefer to keep it. I shall make no use of it unless it is necessary. I called here to notify you that Mrs. Hamilton does not propose to sacrifice the farm. If it is sold at all it will be to some one who will pay Its full value." " You can't sell it," said Jackson, sullenly. " I have a lease." " Produce it." " At any rate, I shall stay till my year's out." " That will depend upon the new owner. If he is willing, Mrs. Hamilton will not object." " I think you've got him there, Ben," said Mr. Taylor, with a laugh. " Mr. Jackson, I think it won't be worth while to continue our conversation. You undertook to sell what was not yours. I prefer to deal with the real owner or her rep- resentative." "That boy is an impostor!" muttered Jackson. "Why. he's only a schoolboy. What does he know about business? " I think he has proved a match for you. Good-morning, Mr. Jackson. Ben, let us be going." " Now," said Taylor, as they were walking toward the inn, "what do you say to my offer?" " Please state it, Mr. Taylor." " I offer forty thousand dollars for the farm. It may be worth considerably more than that; but, on the other hand, the wells may soon run dry. I have to take the chances." " That seems a fair offer, Mr. Taylor," said Ben, frankly. " If I were the owner I would accept it; but I am acting for another who may not think as I do." THE STORE BOY 109 "Will you consult her and let me know?" " I will write at once." "Why not telegraph? The delay would be too great if you trust to the mail." " I will do as you suggest," answered Ben, " if there is an opportunity to telegraph from this place." " There is an office at the depot." " Then I will take that on my way back to the hotel." At one corner of the depot Ben found a telegraph op- erator. After a little consideration, he dashed off the fol- lowing telegram: " No. — Madison Avenue, New York. " To Mrs. Hamilton : " Oil has been discovered on your farm. I am offered forty thousand dollars for it by a responsible party. What shall I do? Ben Barclay." " Send answer to the hotel," said Ben, to the operator. Four hours later a messenger brought to Ben the follow- ing dispatch; " Your news is most surprising. Sell at the figure named if you think it best. You have full powers. " Helen Hamilton." Mr. Taylor watched Ben's face eagerly as he read the tele- gram, for he knew that it must relate to his offer. "What does your principal say?" he inquired. "You can read the telegram, Mr. Taylor." Taylor did so. "So you have full powers?" he said. "Mrs. Hainilton must feel great confidence in you." There was a proud flush on Ben's cheek as he replied: " I have reason to think that she does. I hope it is not misplaced." " I hope you won't drive a hard bargain with me, Ben. "I don't mean to bargain at all. You have made a fair offer, and I will accept it." Taylor looked pleased. " Some boys in your position," he said, " would have stipu- Iq + q/J for £t DrGS6Ilt." " I shall do nothing of the kind," said Ben, promptly. " I should not think it honest." " Your honesty, my boy, is of the old-fashioned kind. It is not the kind now in vogue. I like you the better for it, and if you were not in Mrs. Hamilton's employ I would try to secure your services myself." " Thank you, Mr. Taylor. The time may come when I shall remind you of your promise." , . " You will find I have not forgotten it. And now to busi- 110 THE STORE BOY ness. We will go to a lawyer and have the necessary pa- pers drawn up, which you shall sign in behalf of your principal." The business was speedily arranged, and by supper-time Ben found that he had nothing further to detain him in Centerville. He felt that he had done a smart stroke of business. Mrs. Hamilton had been surprised at receiving an offer of five thousand dollars for the farm, yet he had sold it for forty thousand! As they were returning from the lawyer's office they met Farmer Jackson just returning from the post office, " By the way, Mr. Jackson," said Taylor, " you will per- haps be interested to learn that your farm has been sold." The farmer paused, and a troubled look appeared upon his face. "Are you going to turn me out of the nouse? " he asked. " Not if you wish to live in it. I shall employ workmen at once to sink wells, and develop the property. They will need to board somewhere. Are you willing to board them? " "Yes; I shall be glad to," answered Jackson. "I am a poor man, and it's hard work to make a living by farming." "Very well; we can no doubt make an arrangement. I am obliged to go to New York to complete arrangements for the transfer of the property, but I shall come back as soon as possible and commence operations." " I wouldn't mind workin' for myself," said Jackson. " Then you are the first man I engage." The old farmer brightened up. He was to make money out of the new discoveries after all, though not in the way he had contemplated. " When are you going back to New York, Ben? " asked Taylor. " There is nothing to detain me here any longer." " We can go back together, then." " I shall be glad to travel in your company, sir." " Do you expect to remain in Mrs. Hamilton's employ? * " I don't know," answered Ben. " What were you doing? " " Keeping accounts and acting as her private secretary." "Do you like it?" "Yes; I find it very pleasant, or would be but for one thing." "What is that?" " She has relatives living in the house who do not like me." " Jecilous, eh?" " Perhaps so." " Let me say frankly, that you are fitted for something higher. I am a good judge of men " Ben smiled. " Boys, then; and I consider you a boy of excellent busi- THE STORE BOY 111 ness capacity. After I have got my oil wells under way, I should like to engage you as superintendent," " I am flattered by your good opinion, Mr. Taylor, but it is a business I know nothing of." " You would make it your business to learn it, or I mis- take you." " You are right there, sir." " However, there will be plenty of time to arrange about this matter. It would probably be two months before I felt justified in leaving another in charge." The two started for New York. About fifty miles before reaching the city, as Ben was reading a magazine he had purchased from the train-boy, he felt a touch upon his shoulder. Looking up, he recognized, to his amazement, the tramp with whom he had had an adventure some weeks before in Pentonville. " I see you know me," said the tramp, with a smile. CHAPTER XXXni GOOD NEWS The tramp, as we may call him for want of a different name, certainly showed signs of improvement in his per- sonal appearance. He looked quite respectable, in fact, in a business suit of gray mixed cloth, and would have passed muster in any assemblage. " I think I have met you before," answered Ben, with a smile. " Perhaps it would have been more of a compliment not to recognize me. I flattered myself that I had changed." " So you have, and for the better." " Thank you. I believe we rode together when we last met? " " Yes," said Ben. "And you were not sorry to part company with me — is it not so? " " I won't contradict you." "Yet I am inclined to be your friend." "I am glad of it," said Ben, politely, though, truth to tell, he did not anticipate any particular benefit to accrue from the acquaintance of the speaker. " I see you don't attach much importance to my offer of friendship. Yet I can do you an important service." Mr. Taylor, who had been occupying a seat with Ben, her* arose. 112 THE STORE BOY "You 'have something to say to my young friend," he said. " Take my seat." " Don't let me deprive you of it," said the other, with a politeness Ben had not deemed him capable of. " By no means. I am going into the smoking-car to smoke a cigar. Ben, I will be back soon." " I didn't expect to meet you so far from Pentonville," said Ben's new companion, unable to suppress his curiosity. " I don't live in Pentonville now." "Where then?" " In the city of New York." "Are you employed there?" "Yes; but I am just returning from a trip to Western Pennsylvania." "Did you go on business?" " Yes." " Well, you are getting on, for a country boy. What do you hear from home?" " My mother is well, but I fancy that is not what you mean." " Yes, I am interested about your mother. Has she yet paid off that mortgage on her cottage?" "How did you know there was a mortgage?" asked Ben, in surprise. " I know more than you suppose. What are the chances that she will be able to pay? " " They are very small," answered Ben, gravely; " but the money is not yet due." "When will it be due?" " In about six weeks." " Squire Davenport will foreclose — I know him well enough for that." " So I suppose," said Ben, soberly. " Is there no friend w^ho will oblige you with the money?" " I don't know of any one I should feel at liberty to call on." It came into his mind that Mrs. Hamilton was abundantly able to help them, but she did not know his mother, and it would savor of presumption for him to ask so great a favor. True, he had effected a most profitable sale for her, but that was only in the line of his faithful duty, and gave him no claim upon his employer. " I thought perhaps the gentleman you were traveling with — the one who has gone into the smoking-car — might " "He is only a business acquaintance; I have known him less than a week." " To be sure, that alters matters. He is not your employer, then? " " No." " Then I believe I shall have to help you myself." Ben stared at his companion in amazement. What! this THE STORE BOY 113 man, who had robbed him of a dollar only four weeks be- fore, to offer assistance in so important a matter! " I suppose you are joking," said he, after a pause. " Joking! Far from it. I mean just what I say. If Squire Davenport undertakes to deprive your mother of her home, I will interfere, and, you will see, with effect." " Would you mind explaining to me how you would help us?" asked Ben. " Yes, in confidence, it being understood that I follow my own course in the matter." " That is fair enough." " Suppose I tell you, then, that Squire Davenport (I be- lieve that is the title he goes by in your village) owes your mother more than the amount of the mortgage." "Is this true?" ejaculated Ben, very much surprised- " It is quite true." "But how can it be?" " Your father, at his death, held a note of Davenport's for a thousand dollars — money which he had placed in his hands — a note bearing six per cent, interest." Ben was more and more surprised; at first he was elated, fllPIl (lGDr6SS6(l " It will do me no good," he said; " nothing was found at father's death, and the note is no doubt destroyed." " So Squire Davenport thinks," said his companion, quietly. " But isn't it true? " " No; that note not only is in existence, but I know where to lay my hands on it." "Then it will more than offset the mortgage?" said Ben, joyfully. " I should say so. No interest has been paid on the note for more than five years. The amount due must be quite double the amount of the mortgage." " How can I thank you for this information? " said Ben. " We shall not be forced to give up our little cottage, after all. But how could Squire Davenport so wickedly try to cheat us of our little property?" " My dear boy," said the tramp, shrugging his shoulders, "your question savors of verdancy. Learn that there is no meanness too great to be inspired by the love of money." "But Squire Davenport was already rich." " And for that reason he desired to become richer." " When shall we go to see the squire and tell him about the note? " "I prefer that you should wait till the day the mortgage comes due. When is that?" " On the twentieth of December." " Then on the nineteenth of December we will both go to Pentonville and wait till the squire shows his hand." 114 THE STORE BOY " You seem to be — excuse me — in "better circumstances than when we last met." " I am. An old uncle of mine died last month, and con- siderately left me ten thousand dollars. Perhaps if he had known more about my way of life he would have found another heir. It has led me to turn over a new leaf, and henceforth I am respectable, as befits a man of property. I even keep a cardoase." He drew out a cardcase and handed a card to Ben, who surveyed it with curiosity. It bore the name of Harvey Dinsmore. "Mr. Dinsmore," said our young hero, "I rejoice at your good fortune." " Thank you. Shall we be friends? " " With pleasure." "Then I have more good news for you. Your father owned twenty-five shares in a Western railway. These shares are selling at par, and a year's dividends are due." " Why, we shall be rich," said Ben, fairly dazzled by this second stroke of good fortune. " I hope so; though this is only a beginning." " How can we prove that the railway shares belong to us?" "Leave that to me. On the nineteenth of December you will meet me at Pentonville. Till then we probably shall not meet." At this moment Mr. Taylor made his appearance, return- ing from the smoking-car, and Harvey Dinsmore left them. "Well, Ben, has your friend entertained you?" asked Tay- lor. " He has told me some very good news." " I am glad to hear it." In due time they reached New York, and Ben started up- town to call upon Mrs. Hamilton. CHAPTER XXXrV CONRAD GOES INTO WALL STREET When Conrad succeeded Ben as Mrs. Hamilton's private secretary, he was elated by what he considered his promo- tion. His first disappointment came when he learned that his salary was to be but five dollars a week. He did not dare to remonstrate with his employer, but he expressed him- self freely to his mother. " Cousin Hamilton might afford to pay me more than five dollars a week," he said bitterly. THE STORE BOY 115 "It is small," said his mother, cautiously, "but we must look to the future." " If you mean till Cousin Hamilton dies, it may be twenty or thirty years. Why, she looks healthier than you, mother, and will probably live longer." Mrs. Hill looked grave. She did not fancy this speech. " I don't think we shall have to wait so long," she said- "When you are twenty-one Cousin Hamilton will probably do something for you." " That's almost five years," grumbled Conrad. '' At any rate we have got Ben Barclay out of the house, that's one comfort." " Yes, I am glad of that; but I'd rather be in my old place than this, if I am to get only five dollars a week." " Young people are so impatient," sighed Mrs. Hill. " You don't seem to consider that it isn't alone taking Ben's place, but you have got rid of a dangerous rival for the inher- if rlTlPP " " That's true," said Conrad, " and I hated Ben. I'd rather any other boy would cut me out than he." "Do you know what has become of him?" "No; I expect that he has gone back to the country — ^un- less he's blacking boots or selling papers downtown some- where. By Jove, I'd like to come across him with a black- ing-brush. He used to put on such airs. I would like to have heard Cousin Hamilton give him the grand bounce." Nothing could be more untrue than that Ben put on airs, but Conrad saw him through the eyes of prejudice, and per- suaded himself that such was the fact. In reality, Ben was exceedingly modest and unassuming, and it was this, among other things, that pleased Mrs. Hamilton; Conrad continued to find his salary insufficient. He was still more dissatisfied after an interview with one of his school companions, a boy employed in a Wall Street broker's office. He was just returning from an errand on which Mrs. Hamilton had sent him, when he overtook Fred Lathrop on his way uptown. The attention of Conrad was drawn to a heavy gold ring with a handsome stone on Fred's finger. " Where did you get that ring? " asked Conrad, who had himself a fancy for rings. "Bought it in Maiden Lane. How do you like it?" " It is splendid. Do you mind telling me how much you paid? " " I paid forty-five dollars. It's worth more." "Forty-five dollars!" ejaculated Conrad. "Why, you must be a millionaire. Where did you get so much money? " " I didn't find it in the street," answered Fred, jocularly. "Can't you tell a feller? You didn't save it out of your, wrages, did you? " 116 THE STORE BOY " My wages? I should say not. Why I only get six dol- lars a week, and have to pay car-fare and lunches out of that." "■ Then it isn't equal to my five dollars, for that is all clear. But all the same, I can't save anything." " Nor I." " Then how can you afford to buy forty-five-dollar rings? " " I don't mind telling you," said Fred. " I made the money by speculating." "Speculating!" repeated Conrad, still in the dark. "Yes. I'll tell you all about it." "Do! there's a good fellow." "You see, I bought fifty Erie shares on a margin." "How's that?" " Why I got a broker to buy me fifty shares on a mar- gin of one per -cent. He did it to oblige me. I hadn't any money to put up, but I had done him one or two favors, and he did it out of good nature. As the stock was on the rise, he didn't run much of a risk. Well, I bought at 44 and sold at 45 1-4. So I made fifty dollars over and above the com- mission. I tell you I felt good when the broker paid me over five ten-dollar bills." " I should think you would." " I was afraid I'd spend the money foolishly, so I went right off and bought this ring. I can sell it for what I gave at any time." Conrad's cupidity was greatly excited by this remarkable luck of Fred's. " That seems an easy way of making money," he said. "Do you think I could try it?" "Anybody can do it if he's got the money to plank down for a margin." " I don't think I quite understand." " Then I'll tell you. You buy fifty shares of stock, costing, say, fifty dollars a share." " That would be twenty-five hundred dollars." "Yes, if you bought it right out. But you don't. You give the broker whatever per cent, he requires, say a dol- lar a share (most of them don't do it so cheap), and he buys the stock on your account. If it goes up one or two points, say to fifty-one or fifty-two, he sells out, and the profit goes to you, deducting twenty-five cents a share which he charges for buying and selling. Besides that he pays you back your margin." "That's splendid. But doesn't it ever go down?" " I should say so. If it goes down a dollar a share, then, of course, you lose fifty dollars." Conrad looked serious. This was not quite so satisfactory. " It is rather risky, then," he said. " Of course there's some risk; but you know the old THE STORE BOY 117 proverb, ' Nothing venture, nothing have.' You must choose the right stock — one that is going up." " I don't know anything about stock," said Conrad. " I do," said Fred. " If I had money I know what I'd buy." "What?" asked Conrad, eagerly. "Pacific Mail." " Do you think that's going up? " " I feel sure of it. I overheard my boss and another broker talking about it yesterday, and they both predicted a bull movement in it." "Does that mean it's going up?" " To be sure." " I should like to buy some." " Have you got money to plank down as a margin? " Conrad had in his pocketbook fifty dollars, which he had collected for Mrs. Hamilton, being a month's rent on a small store on Third Avenue. It flashed upon him that with this money he could make fifty dollars for himself, and be able to pay back the original sum to Mrs. Hamilton as soon as the operation was concluded. "Could you manage it for me, Fred?" he asked. " Yes, I wouldn't mind." " Then I'll give you fifty dollars, and you do the best you can for me. If I succeed I'll make you a present." " All right. I hope you'll win, I am sure." Not giving himself time to think of the serious breach of trust he was committing, Conrad took the money from his pocket and transferred it to his companion. " It won't take long, will it? " he asked, anxiously. " Very likely the stock will be bought and sold to-morrow." " That will be splendid. You'll let me know right off? " "Yes; I'll attend to that." Conrad went home and reported to Mrs. Hamilton that the tenant had not paid, but would do so on Saturday. Mrs. Hamilton was a little surprised, for the Third Av- enue tenant had never before put her off. Something in Conrad's manner excited her suspicion, and she resolved the next day to call herself on Mr. Clark, the tenant. He would be likely to speak of the postponement, and give reasons for it. CHAPTER XXXV CONRAD'S BAD LUCK The next day Mrs. Hamilton called upon her tenant in Third Avenue. " How is business with you, Mr. Clark? " she asked, after purchasing some small * article. 118 THE STORE BOY "Very good," he answered, cheerfully. \ "And you are always in funds to meet your liabilities'^" i Yes; I am very particular about that." -i "By the way, did Conrad— my young agent— give you a t receipt yesterday for the rent? " ,1 " Yes," answered the storekeeper, somewhat surprised, for ^ he could not understand the motive of the question, I " Will you be kind enough to show it to me? " '■ Mr. Clark went to his desk, and, after a brief search re- • turned with a receipt signed by Conrad for her. ' 1! "Is there anything wrong about it?" asked the store- '^ Keeper. ) " By no means. I merely wanted to satisfy myself upon ': one point," 1 But what this point was she didn't explain. . -1 " This looks , serious," reflected Mrs. Hamilton, gravely. I " The boy must have formed bad habits. It is clear that he i can not bo depended upon. He is foolishly throwing his J chances av/ay." ■'! When Airs. Hamilton returned she did not immediately I speak to Gourad about her discovery. She waited for fur- '• ther developments. He had assured her that the rent would 4 be paid on Saturday, and till Saturday she would wait. If it were only delay, his fault would not be so great. But circumstances prevented Conrad's keeping his prom- ise. On Friday morning, about nine o'clock, he found a let- ter on the table in the hall. He could see by the firm mark in the corner that it was from Bird & Brant, bankers and ^^ brokers. t This was the tenor: He was notified that, in accordance with his instructions, they had purchased fifty shares of Pacific Mail at 43. It had fallen to 42, and they had sold it to avoid further loss. This had exhausted his margin, and he was left indebted to them in the sum of $12.50, com- mission for buying and selling, which he was requested to forvi^ard at once. Conrad read this letter with pale cheeks and sinking heart. He was in a terrible scrape. How was he to make up to Mrs. Hamilton the money he had appropriated, not to men- tion the sum which he owed the brokers? f < "Fred told me it was sure to go up," he groaned. "I 1 wouldn't have speculated but for that. He ought at any rate J to pay the twelve dollars and a half." ji He chanced to meet Fred in the afternoon. :■ I " You've got me into a pretty scrape," he said. ; : " How is that? " . >' i " I bought Pacific Mail, and it went down." ,' I "Even the oldest operators are liable to be mistaken," "■: j said Fred. " I had the point from two experienced brokers, j But you see Keene, or Jay Gould, or some of those big fel- lows stepped in and upset the market." ^ I THE STORE BOY 119 " It's awfully serious for me," said Conrad, gloomily. " The money didn't belong to me. I thought I was sure to make, and so I risked it." " I'm sorry, but I would have risked the purchase myself if I had the money," said Fred. " I think you Ought to pay the brokers' commission, since you led me into it." " I don't," answered Fred, emphatically. " I gave you the advice for what it was worth." "I can't pay Bird & Brant. I haven't a dollar." " I'll get Ihem to wait a week. You must raise it some- how in that time." " That'll lie something," said Conrad, relieved. " Some- thing may turn up in that time.'^ On Saturday he went to Mrs. Hamilton with a sober face. " Cousin Hamilton," he said, " I want to make a con- fession." "What is it, Conrad?" " Mr. Clark did pay me that money on Wednesday." *' Why .didn't you pay it over to me then?" "Because my pocket was picked on my way from Third Avenue. I thought I had a clew to the pickpocket, and migiit recover the money, but I have failed. I am awfully sorry." "Can this be true?" thought Mrs. Hamilton. "If Ben told me this story I would believe him, but Conrad does not inspire my confidence." " Do you blame me very much, Cousin Hamilton? " asked Conrad. " I think you must have been careless. I will reflect upon what you have told me, and speak with you on the subject hereafter." "So far, so good!" thought Conrad. "She believes the story. She won't trouble me for the money. Now if I can only raise twelve dollars and a half for the brokers." Some days passed, and Conrad heard nothing about his unfortunate loss. He began to think that he would escape detection. He chanced to be out when the postman brought another letter from Bird & Brant. As Mrs. Hamilton was passing through the hall she saw it. "What can Conrad have to do with Wall Street brokers?" she asked herself. " I will take care of this letter, and speak to him about it." In the afternoon she was out shopping and Conrad vs^as at home, when the bell rang. Having some curiosity, he watched in the hall while the servant was answering the bell. " Why, Master Ben, have you come back? " he heard the girl say. " Is it possible that boy has the cheek to come back? he lid to himself. " I'll soon turn him right about." said 8tt 120 THE STORE BOY | Ben was already in the hall, when Conrad walked up to ■ him, and said, haughtily and insolently: ] " What brings you back here, Ben Barclay? " " Business," answered Ben briefly. " Is Mrs. Hamilton at = home?" I " No, she isn't." ] "Then I must wait till she returns," and Ben auietly ^ placed his hat on the hat-stand. I " I beg your pardon, but you had better go away." i "Why should I?" asked Ben, calmly. 5 " Mrs. Hamilton doesn't care to see you." . {i "Did she tell you so?" h " No; but your own common-sense might tell you so. Con- ; sidering under what circumstances you left the house " ' "Under what circumstances did I leave the house. Con- i rad Hill? " i " You know better than I can tell you." I " Still, I should like to have you tell me." I "You stole an opera glass, and pawned it at Simpson's. | Ot course Gousm Hamilton didn't want you in the house I after that." 'j " No, I shouldn't think she would." •" "And yet you have come back?" "Yes, because I had nothing to do with the loss of the opera glass." "Who did take it, then?" " Don't you know? " asked Ben, significantly. The blood rushed to Conrad's face. " Yes, I do know," he answered angrily. " You did it, and that's why Cousin Hamilton bounced you." " I will wait and ask her if that is the case. I have come to see her upon other business." "What is this?" asked a clear, cold voice. Looking back, Conrad saw that it was his mother who had approached unheard. " I'm glad you've come, ma, to send away this boy," he said. " Ben Barclay here! " she exclaimed, recoiling a step. " He says he wants to see Cousin Hamilton." " It is quite unnecessary," said Mrs. Hill, frigidly. " I represent Mrs. Hamilton, and I tell him that his presence is unwelcome ! " Just then, the door being still open, Mrs. Hamilton her- self ascended the steps. % "Whose presence is unwelcome?" she asked. " Mine, so Mrs. Hill says," responded Ben. "Ben, I am glad to see you. Come up to my oiFice. I want you, too," she added, addressing Conrad. "May I come, too?" asked Mrs. Hill, looking pale and angry. ■fli THE STORE BOY 121 "Yes, your presence is desirable." Then all went up to Mrs. Hamilton's room on the second floor. CHAPTER XXXVI TURNING THE TABLES " Now, Conrad," said Mrs. Hamilton, " will you tell me by, what authority you send away my visitors?" " I didn't suppose you would want to see Ben," stammered Conrad. "Why not?" "After what he has done?" "What has he done?" " He stole your opera glass and pawned it.' "You are mistaken. It was stolen by a different per- son." , , . X, 1- i. Conrad started uneasily, and his mother, who was not in the secret, looked surprised. " I know who took the opera glass," contmued Mrs. Ham- ilton. " Who was it? " asked the housekeeper. "Your son, I regret to say." , "This is a slander!" exclaimed Mrs. Hill, angrily. "Cousin Hamilton, that boy has deceived you." "My information did not come from Ben, if that is what you mean? " „ ,. , i.^ " My son would be incapable of stealing, continued Mrs. Hill. , ., , " I should be glad to think so. It can easily be settled. Let Conrad go with me to-morrow to the pawnbroker from whom I recovered the glass, and see if he recognizes him." " He would be sure to say it was me," stammered Conrad. " At any rate he told me it was not Ben, who made no op- position to accompanying me." " I see there is a plot against my poor boy," said Mrs. Hill, " On the contrary, I shall be glad to believe him innocent. But there is another matter that requires investigation. Conrad, here is a letter v/hich has come for you. Are you willing that I should open and read it?" As she produced the letter, Conrad was panic-stricken. He saw that it was from the brokers, through whom he had purchased stock, and he knew that his dishonesty would come to light. "I think it is only a circular," he said, in confusion. "Then you can have no objection to my reading it?" " I don't like to show my letters," said Conrad, sullenly. 122 THE STORE BOY " The boy is right," said his mother, always ready to back up her son. " I have good reason for wishing to know the contents of the letter," said Mrs. Hamilton, sternly. " I will not open it unless Conrad consents, but I will call on the brokers and question them as to their motive in addressing it to a boy." Conrad was silent. He saw that there was no escape for him. " Shall I read it? " asked Mrs. Hamilton. " Yes," answered Conrad, feebly. The letter was opened. It ran thus : " Mr. Conrad Hill : " You will be kind enough to call at our office at once, and pay commission due us for buying and selling fifty shares Pacific Mail. The fall in the price of the stock, as we have already notified you, exhausted tihe money you placed in our Jiands as margin. Yours respectfully, " Bird & Brant." Not only Conrad, but his mother, looked panic-stricken, as Mrs. Hamilton read the letter aloud. " So you have been speculating in stocks," she said. " How much money did you leave with these brokers?" " Fifty dollars," answered Conrad. " The sum you received from Mr. Clark, of Third Avenue, ias rent? " " Yes," answered Conrad, desperately. " You told me he didn't pay you." " I expected to have the money to pay back by Satur- day." " That is, you made sure of making a profit on your stock. Instead of this, you lost the fifty dollars, and are still owing the brokers twelve dollars and a half?" " Yes." " You can't very well charge Ben with this piece of dis- honesty, as he was absent from the city." " I hope. Cousin Hamilton, you won't be too hard on the poor boy," said the housekeeper. " He thought he would be able to replace the money." "A very dangerous delusion! Yet I can find some excuse for this fault, grave as it is. There is another which I can not so readily forgive — one which he shares with you, his mother." A red spot glowed in the pale cheeks of Mrs. Hill. " I don't understand you," she said. " I mean that you shall," said Mrs. Hamilton, severely. *'You and Conrad have done your best to prejudice me against Ben, and stooped to unworthy means." THE STORE BOY 123 " You are mistaken," said the housekeeper, quickly, show- ing some evidence of agitation. , ^ ^ " I have learned that the letter which lured Ben to a gam- bling house was concocted between you. The letter I have in my possession." ^ ,„ ^^ ., . t^ » "Who told you such a falsehood? If it is Ben — - " It is not Ben, Mrs. Hill. He is as much surprised as you are to learn it now. The letter I submitted to an expert, who has positively identified the handwriting as yours, Mrs. Hill You were very persistent in your attempts to make me believe that Ben was addicted to frequenting gambling houses." , ,. .,^ „ . , ,, " I see you are determined to believe me guilty, said Mrs. Hill. " Perhaps you think I know about the opera glass and this stock-gambling?" , ^ , i, * • „+-f„ " I have no evidence of it, but I know enough to justily; me in taking a decisive step." Mrs. Hill listened apprehensively. " It is this : you and Conrad must leave my house. I can. no longer tolerate your presence here." "You send us out to starve?" said the housekeeper, bit- "No- I will provide for you. I will allow you fifty dollars a month and Conrad half as much, and you can board where ^^"Whi^rthat boy usurps our place?" said Mrs. Hill, bit^ terly j "That is a matter to be decided between Ben and my- self " "We will go at once," said the housekeeper. " I don't require it. You can stay here till you have se- cured a satisfactory boarding place/' But Conrad and his mother left the house the next morn- ing They saw that Mrs. Hamilton was no longer to be de- ceived, and they could gain nothing by staying. There was an angry scene between the mother and son. " Were you mad, Conrad," said his mother, to steal where you were sure to be found out? It is your folly that has turned Cousin Hamilton against us." "No; it is that boy. I'd like to wring his neck! " I hope he'll come to some bad end," said Mrs. Hill, ma- lignantly. " If he had not come to the house none of this would have happened." , , .■ j. i „^„ Meanwhile Ben and his patroness had a satisfactory con^ " I hope you are satisfied with my management, Mrs. Ham^ ilton? " said our hero. _ ^^ , ^ ,, , " You have done wonderfully, Ben. Through you I am th^ richer by thirty-five thousand dollars at the very least, tor the farm would have been dear at five thousand, whereas itl was sold for forty thousand." 124 THE STORE BOY " I am very glad you are satisfied." " You shall have reason to be glad. I intend to pay you a commission for selling the place." " Thank you," said Ben, joyfully. He thought it possible Mrs. Hamilton might give him fifty dollars, and this would have been very welcome. " Under the circumstances, I shall allow you an extra commission — say ten per cent. How much will ten per cent, amount to on forty thousand dollars?" " Four thousand," answered Ben, mechanically. I' Consider yourself worth four thousand dollars, then." " But this is too much, Mrs. Hamilton," said Ben, scarcely crediting his good fortune. " Then give half of it to your mother," said Mrs. Hamil- ton, smiling. " Now we can pay off the mortgage! " exclaimed Ben, joy- fully. "What mortgage?" Ben told the story, and it aroused the lively sympathy of his patroness. " As soon as the purchase-money is paid," she said. " you shall have your commission, and sooner if it is needed." CHAPTER XXXVII A LETTER FROM ROSE GARDINER Ben resumed his place as the secretary and confidential clerk of Mrs. Hamilton. He found his position more agree- able when Mrs. Hill and Conrad were fairly out of the house. In place of the first a pleasant-faced German woman was engaged, and there were no more sour looks and sneering words. Of course Ben kept up a weekly correspondence with his mother. He did not tell her the extent of his good fortune — he wished that to be a surprise, when the time came. From his mother, too, he received weekly letters, telling him not unfrequently how she missed him, though she was glad he was doing well. One day beside his mother's letter was another. He did not know the handwriting, but, looking eagerly to the end, he saw the name of Rose Gardiner. "How kind of Rose to write to me!" he thought, with a smile of pleasure. As we are specially privileged, we will look over Ben's shoulder, and read the letter : " Dear Ben : I dare say you will be surprised to hear from me, but I hope my letter will not be unwelcome. First of THE STORE BOY 125 all let me tell you how much we all miss you. In a small village like Pentonville we can't spare any one that is agree- able " " i am glad Rose thinks me agreeable," commented Ben. He read on: ^ „ ,, . rr, t^ " There are some we can spare. One of them is Tom Dav- enport. He is getting more horrid every day. He sees fit to bestow a good deal of his company on me, though good- ness knows I don't want him. He hasn't forgotten you. He often speaks of you, and always with a sneer. He pretended, that some one had seen you selling papers m front of the Astor House, and hinted that you slept at the Newsboys Lodging House. I told him that even if it were true I shouldn't think any the less of you; but I told him it was not true I told him you had been out West to transact some business for a lady. ' More likely he tramped out there,' he said. If he thinks I like him any better for running you down he is very much mistaken. "There's another person we could spare very well from the village, and that is the man Kirk, a relation of Mr. Davenport, who is keeping the store. He doesn't know much about store-keeping, and is so disagreeable that people don t like to trade with him. I shouldn't be at all surprised if some one started an opposition store. I wish they would. " I often go to see your mother. She is well, but I think she is worrying about the house. She says Squire Daven- port will foreclose the mortgage, unless she can pay seven hundred dollars, and interest, on the twentieth of December. You know that is only ten days off. I saw the squire and Mr Kirk passing the house yesterday and looking toward it. i believe it is to be enlarged by the addition of two rooms when the Kirks get it. I do wish I had the money, and I would thwart their meanness; but all I have in the world is a dollar and seventy-five cents, and you, I suppose, are not much richer." _ , , , . ,n l. -^ , i " What would Rose say," Ben asked himself, if she knew that I am worth four thousand dollars?" .^ j • The money had been paid to Ben, and was deposited m four different savings-banks, till he could decide on a better investment. So he was quite sure of having more than enough to pay off the mortgage and redeem the cottage. " Since mother is worrying, I must write and set her mind at rest," he decided. He wrote accordingly, telling his mother not to feel anx- ious, for he had wealthy friends, and he felt sure with their help, of paying off the mortgage. "But don't tell anybody this," he continued, " for I want to give the squire and Mr. Kirk a disagreeable surprise. I shall come to Pentonville two days before, and may stay a week." He had already spoken to Mrs. Hamilton about having this week as a vacation. 126 THE STORE BOY CHAPTER XXXVIII ben's visit to pentonville On the eighteenth of December Ben arrived in Pentonville. It was his first visit since he went up to New York for good. He reached home without observation, and found his mother overjoyed to see him again. " It has seemed a long, long time that you have been away, Ben," she said. " Yes, mother; but I did a good thing in going to New York." "You are looking well, Ben, and you have grown!" " Yes, mother; and best of all, I have prospered. Squire Davenport can't have the house!" " You don't mean to say, Ben, that you have the money to pay it off? " asked his mother, with eager hope. " Yes, mother, and, better still, the money is my own." "This can't be true, Ben!" she said, incredulously. "Yes, but it is though! You are to ask me no questions till after the twentieth. Then I will tell you all." " I am afraid I shall have to send you to the store, for I am out of groceries." " I will go with pleasure. I want to see how the old store looks." " It is not like the old store. Mr. Kirk is a very poor busi- ness man. Wait, and I will get you the money." " Not much, mother," said Ben, laughing; " I've got plenty. Now, what shall I get? " A list was given, and Ben started for the store. Mr. Kirk looked up in surprise as he entered. " You're the Barclay boy, ain't you?" he said. " Yes, sir." " I thought you were in New York." " I was, but I have just got home." " Couldn't make it go, hey? " Ben smiled, but did not answer. " I may give you something to do," said Kirk, in a pat- ronizing tone. " You've been employed in this store, I be- lieve." " Yes, I was here some months." " I'll give you two dollars a week." " Thank you," said Ben, meekly, " but I shall have to take a little time to decide — say the rest of the week." "I suppose you want to help your mother move?" " She couldn't move alone." "Very well; you can begin next Monday." Mr. Ktrk was a little surprised at Ben's liberal purchases, for he bought more than his mother had ordered. Wh«n Ben was going home, he met his old enemy, Tom THE STORE BOY 127 Davenport. Tom's eyes lighted up when he saw Ben, and he crossed the street to speak to him. It may be mentioned that, though Ben had a new and stylish suit of clothes, he came home in the old suit he had worn away, and his ap- pearance, therefore, by no means betokened prosperity. "So you're back again!" said Tom, abruptly. " Yes." " I always said you'd come back." "Did you? I always expected to. I didn't mean to desert my mother." " I understand. You don't seem to have made a fortune." " What do you judge from? " " From your shabby clothes." "Don't they look well enough?" " Oh, I dare say they will do — for you. When I go home, I'll look over my old suits, and see if I can't fmd you one." " You are unexpectedly kind, Tom," said Ben, amused. " I like to be charitable," said Tom. Ben knew very well that Tom's offer was prompted by very diiferent considerations, but he did not care to reveal his secret, and accepted his patronage good-naturedly. "Are you going to look for something to do?" Tom asked. " Mr. Kirk has offered me a place in the store." " How much pay? " " Two dollars a week." " You'd better take it." " I hardly think I can work at that figure," said Ben, mildly. " Kirk won't pay you any more." " I'll think of it. By the way, Tom, call around and see me some time." " I hardly think I shall have time," said Tom, haughtily. " He talks as if I were his equal! " he said to himself. " Well, good- afternoon. Remember me to your father." Tom stared at Ben in surprise. Really the store boy was getting very presumptuous, . he thought. CHAPTER XXXIX COKCLUSION On the evening of the nineteenth of December Ben stood on the piazza of the village hotel when the stage returned from the depot. He examined anxiously the passengers who got out. His eyes lighted up joyfully as he recognized in one the man he was looking for. " Mr. Dinsmore," he said, coming forward hastily. 128 THE STORE BOY "You see I have kept my word," said Harvey Dinsmore, with a smile. " I feared you would not come." " I wished to see the discomfiture of our friend Squire Davenport. So to-morrow is the day? " " Yes." " I should like to be on hand when the squire calls." . " That will be at twelve o'clock. My mother has received a note from him fixing that hour." " Then I will come over at half-past eleven if you will allow me." " Gome; we will expect you." " And how have you fared since I saw you, my young friend? " " I have been wonderfully fortunate, but I havp kept my good fortune a secret from all, even my mothet. It will come out to-morrow." " Your mother can feel quite at ease about the mortgage." "Yes; even if you had not come I am able to pay it." "Whew! then you have indeed been fortunate for a boy. I suppose you borrowed the money? " "No; I earned it." " Evidently you were born to succeed. Will you take sup- per with me?" " Thank you. Mother will expect me at home." At half-past eleven the next forenoon the stranger called at the door of Mrs. Barclay. He was admitted by Ben. " Mother," said Ben, " this is Mr. Harvey Dinsmore." " I believe we have met before," said Dinsmore, smiling. " I fear my first visit was not welcome. To-day I come in more respectable guise and as a friend." " You are welcome, sir," said the widow, courteously. " I am glad to see you. I should hardly have knowni you." " I take that as a compliment. I am a tramp no longer, but a respectable and, I may add, well-to-do citizen. Now I have a favor to ask." " Name it, sir." " Place me, if convenient, where I can hear the inter- view between Mr. Davenport and yourself without myself being seen." Ben conducted Dinsmore into the kitchen opening out of the sitting-room, and gave him a chair. At five minutes to twelve there was a loud knock at the outer door, and Ben admitted Squire Davenport. "So you are home again, Benjamin," said the squire. "Had enough of the city?" " I am taking a vacation. I thought mother would need me to-day." " She will — to help her move." " Step in, sir." Squire Davenport, with the air of a master, followed Ben THE STORE BOY 129 ^ into the sitting-room. Mrs. Barclay sat quietly at the table with her sewing in hand. " Good-day, widow," said the squire, patronizingly. He was rather surprised at her quiet, unruffled demeanor. He expected to find her tearful and sad. "Good-day, Squire Davenport," she said, quietly. "Is your family well? " "Zounds! she takes it coolly," thought the squire. " Very well," he said, dryly. " I suppose you know my business?" "You come about the mortgage?" "Yes; have you decided where to move?" " My mother does not propose to move," said Ben, calmly. " Oho! that's your opinion, is it? I apprehend it is not for you to say." " That is where I differ from you. We intend to stay." "Without consulting me, eh?" " Yes, sir." "You are impudent, boy!" said the squire, waxing wrath- ful. " I shall give you just three days to find another home, though I could force you to leave at once." " This house belongs to my mother." " You are mistaken. It belongs to me." "When did you buy it?" " You are talking foolishly. I hold a mortgage for seven hundred dollars on the property, and you can't pay it. I am willing to cancel the mortgage and pay your mother three hundred dollars cash for the place." " It is worth a good deal more." " Who will pay more? " demanded the squire, throwing himself back in his chair. " I will," answered Ben. " Ho ho! that's a good joke," said the squire. "Why, you are not worth five dollars in the world." " It doesn't matter whether I am or not. My mother won't sell." " Then pay the mortgage," said the squire, angrily. " I am prepared to do so. Have you a release with you? " Squire Davenport stared at Ben in amazement. "Enough of this folly!" he said, sternly. "I am not in the humor for jokes." " Squire Davenport, I am not joking. I have here money enough to pay the mortgage," and Ben drew from his pocket a thick roll of bills. " Where did you get that money? " asked Squire Daven- port, in evident discomfiture. " I don't think it necessary to answer that question; but there is another matter I wish to speak to you about. When will you be ready to pay the sum you owe my father's es- tate? " Squire Davenport started violently. 130 . THE STORE BOY "What do you mean?" he demanded, hoarsely. Harvey Dinsmore entered the room from the kitchen afJ this point. " I will answer that question," he said. " Ben refers to a note for a thousand dollars signed by you, which was found on his father's person at the time of his death." " No such note is in existence," said the squire, triumph- antly. He remembered that he had burned it. " You are mistaken. That note you burned was only a copy! I hava the original with me." " You treacherous rascal ! " exclaimed the squire, in great excitement. " When I have dealings with a knave I am not very scrupulous," said Dinsmore, coolly. " I won't pay the note you have trumped up. This is a conspiracy." " Then," said Ben, " the note will be placed in the hands of a lawyer." " This is a conspiracy to prevent my foreclosing the mort- gage. But it won't work," said the squire, angrily. " There you are mistaken. I will pay the mortgage now in the presence of Mr. Dinsmore, and let the other matter be settled hereafter. Please prepare the necessary papers." Suddenly the squire did as requested. The money was paid over, and Ben, turning to his mother, said: " Mother, the house is ours once more without incum- brance." "Thank God!" ejaculated the widow. " Mr. Dinsmore," said Squire Davenport, when this busi- ness was concluded, "may I have a private word with you? Please accompany me to my house." " As you please, sir." When they emerged into the street Squire Davenport said : " Of course this is all a humbug. You can't have the orig- inal with you? " " But I have, sir. You should have looked more closely at the one you burned." " Can't we compromise this matter? " asked the squire, in an insinuating tone. " No, sir," said Dinsmore, with emphasis. " I have got through with rascality. You can't tempt me. If I were as hard up as when I called upon you before, I might not be able to resist you; but I am worth over ten thousand dollars, and " " Have you broken into a bant? " asked Squire Davenport, with a sneer. " I have come into a legacy. To cut matters short, it will be for your interest to pay this claim, and not allow this story to be made known. It would damage your reputa- tion." In the end this was what the squire was forced very un- THE STORE BOY 131 willingly to do. The amount he had to pay to the estate of the man whose family he had sought to defraud was nearly fifteen hundred dollars. This, added to Ben's four thousand, made the family very comfortable. Mr, Kirk was compelled to look elsewhere for a house. No one was more chagrined at the unexpected issue of the affair than Tom Davenport, whose mean and jealous disposition made more intense his hatred of Ben. ******* Several years have elapsed. Ben is in the office of a real estate la^^^er in New York, as junior partner. All Mrs. Hamilton's business is in his hands, and it is generally thought that he will receive a handsome legacy from her eventually. Mrs. Barclay prefers to live m Pentonville, but Ben often visits her. Whenever he goes to Pentonville he never fails to call on Rose Gardiner, now a beautiful young lady of marriageable age. She has lost none of her partiality for Ben, and it is generally understood that they are en- gaged. I have reason to think that the rumor is correct, and that Rose will change her name to Barclay within a year. Nothing could be more agreeable to Mrs. Barclay, who has long looked upon Rose as a daughter. . . Tom Davenport is now in the city, but his course is tar from creditable. His father has more than once been com- pelled to pay his debts, and has angrily refused to do so again. In fact, Tie has lost a large part of his once hand- some fortune, and bids fair to close his life m penury. Suc- cess has come to Ben because he deserved it, and well-mer- ited retribution to Tom Davenport. Harvey Dmsmore, once given over to evil courses, has redeemed himself, and is a reputable business man in New York. Mrs. Hamilton still lives, happy in the success of her protege. Conrad and his mother have tried more than once to regain their positions in her household, but in vain. None of my young readers will pity them. They are fully rewarded for their treach- ery. THE END STRANGE PORTS By John Fleming Wilson We sat on the wheel-box of the Mary E. Timms, smoking oup pipes in the glitter of Californian sunshine. The schooner lay before us, empty and deserted. Up the gaping main hatch came soft sounds of water gurgling along the planks of the hull. My companion took his pipe out of his mouth, cuddled it in his huge fist, and shook his head at a straw-haired man who peered down at us from the wharf. "Don't know where she's bound for!" he rumbled. The man nodded and retired, sinking behind the edge of the wharf till only a round hat bobbed within view. When this, after several erratic movements along our wooden hori- zon, disappeared, too, the mate resumed his pipe. " Sailors always want to know where you're going," he remarked. " That's natural," I suggested. " It is," was the reply. " But I remember when young fellows weren't so curious about where the vessel was cleared for. But sailing was sport those days. Now it's business. There aren't many strange ports left, so to speak." The phrase caught my ear. "Strange ports? You talk like a sailor out of one of Magellan's ships. Whoever thinks of setting sail for strange ports nowadays?" " Oh, well," the mate answered with some signs of embar- rassment, "that's just a manner of speaking! Only I was thinking of Silas Everett and the voyage of the El Dorado." "Did you go to strange ports?" I demanded. The mate sought the mizzen truck with dreamy eyes. " We sailed for 'em," he answered me slowly. " You see " Captain Silas Everett quit the Pacific Mail line, and a first- class ship, one day about ten years ago. Nobody could ex- actly make out why he left the San Juan, for Everett was STRANGE PORTS 133 a steady, skillful, quiet skipper, not more than middle-aged, and he would sooner or later have been given one of the crack express steamers. But one day — I was third mate with him — he went to the superintendent and resigned. Then he came back to the San Juan, emptied his lockers, told the steward to hang a fresh towel over the mirror, and came up on the bridge where I was fixing the compass. "Just hand me out those glasses of mine, Grindley," he said. " I've left the ship." I got him his binoculars, and that was all there was to it. Naturally, I was surprised; but Thompson took the steamer, and I didn't think much more about it till next trip into San Francisco, when Everett hunted me up. " Would you like to go mate with me in the El Dorado? " says he. "El Dorado? " says I. " I don't know her." " She's a brig," he told me. " Where bound? " I asked him. Everett just looked at me with his steady eyes and said: "Are you game for a voyage anywhere?" Funny, wasn't it? But I climbed right down, so to speak, and said: *' Anything for a change. I'm sick of the smell of steam and the same old road year in and year out." " I thought so," he said. " I stuck to that route for twenty-three years. Come over to Meiggs' Wharf and have a look at the El Dorado." So I went and drew my pay and turned in the buttons and badges on my uniform, and we walked down to Meiggs' Wharf, and I had a look at my new ship. She wasn't very big, and was old-fashioned as a whaler. She was about five hundred tons burden, heavily built, with good lines, and a half-deck. She was oversparred, and the canvas was all new, I could see. Brasswork shining, decks like cream, and new dowels looking' up like bright dollars out of the low quarter-deck. " There doesn't seem to be much for a mate to do," I re- marked, and Everett nodded. " I've tended her myself," he told me. " She's all ready for sea. I've got half a crew, and I reckon we can pick up the rest in a day or so." 134 STRANGE PORTS That night I threw my blankets into my bunk on the El Dorado, cut up some tobacco into the soap-dish, and felt at home for the first time in six years. It's pretty fine to step out on deck of a nice evening and smell no steam and see no passengers and not feel that from six to sixteen ventilators are swung the wrong way. I turned in and slept like a full bottle — without a gurgle. Next morning I turned what hands were aboard out at dawn and scrubbed the decks. Then I drank my coffee and wondered where Everett was. I hadn't heard him come aboard the night before. He hove in sight just as I set my coffee cup down, and he had two more hands in tow. He shoved them up the plank, gave them a twist towards the fo'c'sle, and came up to me, rubbing his fingers together. " Three more men will fill us up," he remarked. Now I had had a good, fair look at the hands already signed on, and I had a glance at the two he had just brought. I spoke my mind. " Of all the rough, rum, piratical, filibustering, throat- cutting, knife-eating, nail-chewing, impolite sons of Nep- tune that I ever laid eyes on you've got the pick, cream and eelight," I said. " The very largest-sized cuss-word wouldn't half go round with 'em."- Everett smiled, apparently much pleased with himself. "Can you handle them?" he inquired very civilly. " I've been third officer and kindergartner on a mail boat for six years," I said. " My hands are soft. But I once sailed with a Nova Scotia crew out of Pictou, and I had cal- louses on my shoes. I understand I am mate of this brig." No more was said or was needful to say, though the last three seamen that Everett signed on struck me as being fel- lows that no skipper in his wits would have more than one of in a crew — tall, hairy, scowling, sullen chaps, the biggest- of whom Everett made bos'n on the spot. I merely pondered to myself the probability that the El Dorado was going as a pirate or on a sealing voyage in the Jap islands. But it was none of my business, and I kept my mouth shut. We sailed the next day, without any fuss, and twenty-one days later I came up during my watch below and tackled Everett to know where we were bound for. " We've toddled out into the Pacific a thousand miles and STRANGE PORTS ' 135 dropped down towards the Equator another thousand, and now, as I understand it, we are rocking along into the places where the maps are plain blue without any specks on them. I've spent my days licking the crew and my nights trying to get up strength enough to lick them again the next day. You have twelve hands on this brig, and each of the twelve would occupy the entire time and attention of three police- men. Look at your second mate over there; he hasn't knuckles left to wipe his eyes with. How many days more? " Everett took all this in and. then invited me into the cabin, where he called the boy and ordered him to bring glasses. He reached out a large bottle himself, and presently we were discussing it without too much cerernony while the shadow of the spanker swept back and forth across the open skylight. " I might as well explain some things to you," the skipper told me, brushing his hair down on both sides of his head. " But possibly even then you won't understand. You will see that I am trying to make up for my lack of advantages in my youth." Everett stared at me anxiously. " I'm listening, sir," I said encouragingly, " I suppose you ran away to sea? " he inquired. " I did," I said. " I perspire when I think of it." He nodded his head vigorously. " Now there you have it — real adventure, Mr. Grindley. As a boy you ran away to sea." He smacked his lips. " Now I had no such luck. My father apprenticed me when I was fourteen years old, and I spent five years in the same ship trading across the Atlantic. Then I was offered, through my father's interest, a berth in the Pacific Mail, and I stayed on the Panama run for twenty-three years one month and eight days. When I quit the San Juan I had had no more experience on the sea than one of the steward's boys — not so much. I resolved that when I had the money I would do what I longed to do when I was a lad and " Here he looked at me in a scared way and brushed his hair down again. "And what, sir?" I helped him along. "And run away to sea," he finished hastily. Well, I stared at him for an hour or so, and he stared back, a prim, clean-faced, neat-whiskered captain with a 9tt 136 STRANGE PORTS gold watch-chain strung across his stomach. Odd, wasn't it? So I stared, and all the foolish thoughts that I ever thought came up over the horizon of my mind and settled in the sky like peculiar, impudent stars. Were you ever eleven hun- dred and sixty-five miles from land with a lunatic? And yet Captain Silas Everett wasn't a lunatic. You could see that he had been thinking of this thing for years and years while he was taking his sights from the San Juan, and telling the chief oflQcer to be sure and not load coffee and sheep-dip in the same hold. He was sane, all right. But it occurred to me that one of us was crazy, and it was evident that I was it. So after a long while I managed to sgy : " And you're running away to sea now? " "Exactly, Mr. Grindley." " But where are you going? " I demanded. He came back at me with another question. " Did you know where you were bound for when you ran away to sea? " " I did not, and I was an " - " Of course you didn't," he announced, cheering up. "Neither do I. Lord, Grindley, haven't I earned this? I slaved on a steamer for twenty-three years. Now I'm going to have what all you chaps had and I never did. I'm going to have a little adventure. Just fancy " — he combed his hair up this time — "just fancy: here we are with a tight little brig, free as air and with the whole world before us. Why, man, it's the real thing." A thought struck me and I kept quiet and let him talk, which he did very sensibly, except for his notion about run- ning away to sea, which was all rot, and I wished I had never done it. But that night when I saw the chance I sneaked out the ship's papers and looked up her clearance. I'll bet no other vessel ever cleared from San Francisco like the El Dorado did. But there it was all written out — " for Strange Ports" Then I went topside and stared at the chart a while. The El Dorado was blowing down into the blank South Pacific. There was one thing, however, that I was entitled to know, and I went right to the skipper about it. " It's all right about where we are bound for," I told him. " If you're yachting it suits me. Kindly enlighten me as to STRANGE PORTS 137 the reason you had for raking the cinders of hell for your crew." He gave me no satisfaction, though I found out after- wards, and I'll tell you about that when I get to it. In the meantime please consider me conducting a free fight through several thousand miles of latitude and longitude, up one side of the world and down the other, 'cross all the tropics, through every oceanic current and thwartships of the mun- dane sphere for eight months. Have you looked in your geography lately? Well, the surface of the earth is said to be two-thirds water. That is a lie. It is nine-tenths water. We didn't sight even an island from the time we left th® Golden Gate till nine months later, when Everett looked up at me from the chart and said quietly: " I wish you'd correct this course here. I make it sixteen hundred and eight miles." I jumped. "To where?" I asked. " To Hue," he said. " Hue? That's a new one to me," I remarked, planting my fists on the chart. " But land is land, and a port is a port the world over." When my eye lit on Hue I felt funny. Look for it on any chart of Indian waters. It is in Cochin China, not so far from Saigon. The El Dorado was swinging along in the southern equatorial current, and ahead of her lay a mess of islands. Well, time enough to tell about it when we get there. Did you ever sail in those waters? Don't. Just a week later than the day that Everett handed me his figures our little brig was plunging bows under in broken water. I swear that all the water in the world piles up on the shoals and into the channels off that coast. It swirls up from the bottom, rides down in smoking rollers, whirls in vast pools that suck and suck and suck at the fringes of smelly islands. Lord, what a seaman Everett was ! Day after day we rocked along among these currents and tides. Now and then I could see the exact place where the great stream of water forked and divided. Moon and stars and sun together pulled and hauled and drew and drove that hot, scented sea amid th© flocking islands. One hour we were racing on the crest of 138 STRANGE PORTS a tidal wave; the following hour we were close-hauled and beating up into the thrust of a torrent of water pouring round some headland. Not a watch passed but what the men threw themselves down where they stood and panted and slept till eight bells struck again. Everett and I didn't sleep at all, conning that little, staunch brig through the welter of rocks and water and shoals and whirlpools, and long reaches where the waves ran ruddy tipped into the flaming gun. Once in a while we would sight a steamer coasting care- fully into some hidden bay, or a native craft boiling along in a tide-rip. But we won through, and the monsoon si- lenced the sails and we drove across the China Sea towards Hue. Everett was jubilant like a boy out of school. He would smile like a father on the sullen, sweating, cursing crew, and then his face would light up and he would draw in a long breath of the spicy air as much as to say, " I'll have another of the same, please." Right here occurred a small incident. It was a first-class mutiny. Sun, warm water, hard work and nine months at sea took the frazzled loose ends of our piratical crew and twisted them into a knot that was like to have finished us all. We all knew it was coming as soon as we fetched smooth seas and open going. It broke at midnight when the bos'n didn't relieve the wheel. The man steering quietly left his poet and the brig came banging up into the fresh wind. I was just turning things over to the second mate when this happened, and the skipper was standing in the stairway to the cabin in his pajamas. Of course, one of them jumped for the wheel while I ran forward. I got exactly as far as the corner of the deck-house when a long, hairy arm shot across my shoulder and a knife tickled my windpipe. But Everett was too smart. Something burned my cheek, and the man who held the knife seemed to lose his balance and went down, grabbing at my legs. I ran back, the report of a revolver in my ears. It was a night of velvet, set with spangled stars that »hon« with a sort of splendid blue flame. The wind was fresh and the sea smooth. You could see a man's bulk plainly, but you couldn't see his face or his hands. That made it bad. But Everett simply walked forward, with his STRANGE PORTS 139 revolver in his hand, and the second mate and myself back of him. I shall never forget that walk down the jumping deck pf the old Ei Dorado. It seemed hours that we were stepping through the clinging darkness under the thundering sails, and all that time Everett was whistling gently to him- self. The second mate's head was rocking regularly on his shoulders as he peer,ed first over one of the skipper's raised arms and then over the other. Our slow advance must have scattered the wits of the men, who likely expected to end it all in a rush. At any rate, they didn't break in a body, but slithered here and there like men dodging bricks. But the bos'n — and he was a man in- deed — ^saw that this wouldn't do, and slipped out and drove his big knife full at the old man's throat. Everett let out a loud, surprised whistle and his gun went off. The bos'n's knife clattered against the bulwark, and he himself slapped down on the deck like a board. The old man fired again, stared at the threshing yards and let out a yell : " Man the braces! " Yes, sir, they turned to like little children with their thumbs in their mouths, leaving their dead on the deck where the hauling queues of men trampled them to the tune of " Sant' Anna." And when the dawn burned up the dark- ness the crew was done for. Everett looked 'em all over carefully, and then told the sailmaker to sew the corpses up in canvas. Then he drank his coffee and smiled. That afternoon we buried them, the two dead men, with prayer-book and all. When the brig was on her course again Everett went down into his cabin and called me. " I hope I did what was right, Mr. Grindley," said he. " In a way I am responsible for this outbreak." " I told you these hands would make trouble," I said. " That's one reason I signed on such men," he remarked quietly. " In all my time at sea I never had any such trouble, and I wondered whether — whether I could handle such a crowd. It was an experiment of mine. Remember Fergu- son? He quelled five mutinies, they say. Good man, Fer- guson. I merely wondered if I was up to it, that's all. Well, poor fellows! All my fault, too." Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Getting a crew of cut-throats just to see if one can manage 'em? But I want you to un- 140 STRANGE PORTS derstand that I didn't see anything crazy about it at the time. I had got used to Silas Everett and his ways. He was going on a picnic he'd missed when he was a kid, and it wasn't my place to cut the rope to his swing or eat his banana or hide his clothes when he was in swimming. Next day we sighted a lump of land that struck me as being first-class in every particular, quite different from the bits of islands we had seen so far. " That's China," says Everett solemnly. " I've never seen China before." He sat down by the wheel and enjoyed it. Later he remarked that we would lie in Hue a long time. " I'm going to see some of this China," he said. " You'd have done it easier by taking the Peking to Hong- Kong," I suggested. He shook his head. " I've done with liners, Grindley," he said familiarly, as it wasn't my watch. " I missed all this when I was a boy. Think of landing in a small boat in a town you never saw before or heard of till you saw it on the chart." " It's a strange port, all right," I said, not thinking till I caught Everett's blush that I had given myself avk^ay. " That was the way Columbus cleared his ships," he told me solemnly. " Well, you're the Columbus of Hue, anyway," I said. " I wonder how long it's going to take us to make it? Tow in?" "There isn't a tugboat there!" he said triumphantly. " We're going to see China right, my son." That sea is worth looking at. The nest day I watched the water foaming under the bows, the sky like thick blue glass overhead, and smelt the sharp, moist air and enjoyed it. Native junks tooled along like pictures on a revolving ribbon. Odd canoes slunk out of little bays, and an ancient tub of a paddle-wheel steamer went in and out of openings in the coast like a big bumblebee poking its bill into flowers. We stood on up the sea under plain sail. I was called at four o'clock the next morning to relieve the second mate, and when I came on deck I found that we ■were out of sight of land again. The skipper pointed to the chart. I saw the wind had hauled and we were a good forty miles off the coast, which here entered into a big bight. Pitch dark it was, and a strong current setting against us. I took the deck. STRANGE PORTS 141 Just before dawn I thought I saw a vessel's lights to wind- ward — the wind set off shore — but I could make nothing out till the first light came. Then I saw it was a big junk, painted gaudy red and black like a chimney-sweep's cart. It was moseying along under a hugeous big sail, and the steersman was perched far out, hanging to the end of his rudder-sweep. That was all, except that the junk was being edged over towards the El Dorado by the swift current. Everett came on deck and watched it a while. Then he got his glasses. The strange craft was apparently forging ahead of us. Half an hour later it wasn't a cable's length away, and Everett was staring at it with puckered brows. " I don't like the looks of that affair," he told me over his shoulder. The words were hardly out of his mouth when he jumped for the wheel, calling the watch to the braces. I saw a score of bare-chested men climbing up the bulwarks of the junk with knives in their teeth, and the steersman was jamming his helm over so as to thrust the junk in towards our brig. I let out a roar, and all hands piled up out of the fo'c'sle. The old man lifted his upper lip over his teeth and said in a loud, clear voice: " They're pirates. Give the hands knives." The second mate caught the last words as he dived up the steps, tumbled back, and ten seconds later was spilling ai heavy rack of big knives out on the deck. The seamen grabbed at them, I took the wheel, and the second mate jumped forward to keep the Chinks from cutting away our headgear. The junk swung up against the brig with a bump, and Everett ran down among the men, revolver in one hand and knife in the other. For twenty minutes I sailed the brig single-handed while that hellion crew of ours, with the old man and the second mate in the thick of them, slashed, bit and mauled those Chinks as they piled up and on our decks. Thank God for those nail-chewers I'd licked across ten thousand miles of open water I I prayed for the resurrection of the bos'n, and his fellow corpse. I kept the brig full, steered her like a small boat, and watched. You understand that the first thing these pirates tried to do was to cut away our gear. They knew that if they could 142 STRANGE PORTS render the brig helpless they had all day to finish the job in. With an ordinary white-headed crew we would have been goners in ten minutes. But our men were boiling for a scrap, tough as knots, filled with ginger, gall and grit. I saw whole rows of claw-like hands clutch our rail as the Chinks piled up, tooth and nail. From where I was I could catch a glimpse of the crowds on the deck of the junk waiting their chance, and the boss of them, in a bright yellow shirt, yell- ing and shrieking at them from the afterdeck. Then I'd see knives flash out and the hands drop off, one by one, and I'd hear great, agonized cries of pain. But they had managed to get a chain hooked over the port channels, and it held, with the weight of the junk pulling on it. And the more hands were cut and mashed the more men seemed to swarm up the poor brig's sides. I could see that we were fighting with the odds against us, and every now and then a Chink managed to stick his toes in, hold on for a second, and drive his ugly cutlass into one of the hands. Two of our men were groaning on the hatch already, and I could see that the pirates below were loading a round-bellied cannon and the yellow-shirted fiend was passing out guns. Something had to be done and done quickly. I dared not leave the wheel, for the breeze was freshening and we were in a perfect tide-rip. But fortune took it out of my hands. A dozen of the pirates managed in some way to pull round our bows in a small boat, and they piled over the lee bulwarks like a swarm of flies. I dropped the wheel, grabbed a handspike, and tumbled down on the main deck to do my best. Inside of five seconds I was sorry I had come. But Everett had seen what was happening, and he edged his men round, back to back, and yelled to the second mate, who was nearest the cabin, to run there and hold it so that the Chinks couldn't get to windward of us that way. Our leaving the bulwarks had allowed still more pirates to scramble up, and they cut the braces in a minute. I saw Everett's face settle into a hard, wicked knot when he glanced up from the middle of the scrimmage and saw the yards banging. But that saved us. The brig lost headway, was caught by the current, swung back, and then the sails filled for a moment, and I saw the STRANGE PORTS 143 junk slide away from us and drag ahead. The sails emptied again, and as the brig rose on a big swell the junk was jerked bodily up under the cutwater. The crash of the col- lision threw us down on our hands, the whole boiling of us. Assorted yells came from the junk, the pirates ran to the sides of the brig and our sweating men jumped on them, and the rest was a slaughter. In half an hour the decks were clear of the liviijig pirates, and on the wreckage of the junk were floating a few Chinks whom the second mate potted from the fife rail. We had lost two men, killed outright, and every man jack was wounded. I had a rotten slash in the arm myself. I saw Everett grinning over us, his hand wiping at the breast of his torn shirt. " Mr. Grindley," he called out clearly, " please turn the men to to clean up. Overhaul the running gear and get the yards braced. Tell the cook to get breakfast for all hands." " He's dead, sir," said somebody, and Everett frowned. " How many are dead? " he inquired in a very loud voice. " Two — the cook and the carpenter," I answered him. " Tell off two men as cook and carpenter," he croaked, and started to step slowly towards the poop. But he didn't get far. One of the hands leaped forward and caught him as he fell. We laid him on a bit of sail on the afterdeck and stared down at him, careless of the threshing yards. He looked up at us and rocked his head: " Turn the men to," he said in a whisper. " Get the brig under way again. Don't mind me." The damage to the ship was slight, and half an hour later I came back to the quarter-deck and looked down at the skipper. He smiled at me, and I knelt down so as to catch what he was trying to say. "It was a great fight," he whispered. "What luck! I wouldn't have missed it ... . after twenty-three years on a mail boat . . . . I'd like to see China. But I shan't. Take the brig home .... neither wife nor child .... I sup- pose folks won't understand, but it doesn't matter, my son .... a great lark. Bury me in Hue." He was passing, and the shadow of the spanker shaded his face wet with sweat. I listened. He was smiling to him- 144 STRANGE PORTS self. Suddenly his eyes flashed over me and towards lh« thick, blue sky. " I'm clearing for the last time — for a strange port," h« muttered. He was silent again for an interval, then suddenly raised himself on one elbow. His right hand shaded hia steady eyes; he drove his sobbing breath out in a loud cry, { " Land, ho! " I threw a spare sail over him and laid the course for Hu6. , THE OLIVER OPTIC BOOKS RETAIL PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY Every boy and girl knows the Oliver Optic Books, and The New York Book Company's Edition is the lowest priced cloth-bound edition. It is better in many ways than some of the higher priced editions. The covers are stamped in colors, in different and attractive designs. Frontispiece; decorated lining papers and title page; size, five by seven and a quarter inches. The following books are ready to deliver: The Boat Club All Aboard Little by Little Now or Never Poor and Proud Try Again Fighting Joe Haste and Waste Hope and Have In School and Out Rich and Humble Work and Win Ask fob the New York Book Company's Oliver Optic Books THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY PuBLisHEKs, 147 Fourth Avenue NEW YORK, N. Y. OUR YOUNG FOLKS ILLUSTRATED BOOKS (CLOTH-BOUND, SEWED BOOKS) BETAIL PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY This series contains those books for young folks that are without question conceded to be the most popular of this class. Each title has a distinctive cover design in colors, and in addition to being equal to the New York Book Company's other cloth-boimd books each volume contains twenty to sixty illustrations. The folUymng hooks are ready to deliver. Mother Goose Wood's Natural History Lives of the Presidents Arabian Nights Andersen's Fairy Tales Story of the Bible Pilgrim's Progress Robinson Crusoe Alice In Wonderland Through the Lo(^dng Glass Black Beauty Rip Van WinMe Ask foe the New Yoek Book Company's Young Folks Illdsteated Books l^HE NEW YOKK BOOK COMPANY Publishers, 147 Foueth Avenue NEW YORK, N. Y. The New York Book Co.'s Publications : Cloth Bound and Slewed Price ISc, per vobime '■ Al^er Stories lor Boys strong and Steady Strive and Succeed Try and Tmst Bound to Rise Risen from the Ranks Herbert Carter's Legacy Brave and Bold Jack's Ward Sliifting for Himsdf Wait and Hope Paul the Peddler Phil the Fiddler Slow sad Sure Julius the Street Boy Tom the Bootblack Struggling Upward 17. Facing the World 18. The Cash Boy 19. Making His Way 20. Tony the Tramp 21. Joe's Luck 22. Do and Dare 23. Only an Irish Boy 24. Sink or Swim 25. A Cousin's Conspiracy 26. Andy Gordon 27. Bob Burton 2S. Harry Vane 29. Hector's Inheritance 30. Mark Mason's Triumph 31. Sam's Chance 32. The Telegraph Boy 33. The Young Adrentowr 34. The Young Outlaw 35. The Young Salesman 36. Luke Walton 37. Andy Grant's Pluck 38. Ben's Nugget 39. The Young Ezploitr 40. Helping Himself 41. The Store B«ry 42. The Tin Box 43. Chester Rand 44. The Young Acrobat 45. A Young Miner 46. Charlie Codman'sCmise 47. Adrift in New York 48. Walter Sherwood's Pmbation Famous Fiction Library 1. Aikenslde . 2. DoraOeane 3. Lena Rivers 4. The Duchess 5. Staanch as a Womaa 6. Led by Love . 7. A Love Comedy 8. Woven on Fate's 9. Ishmael, Vol. I . lOi Ishmael, VoL 2 . il. Self-Raised. Vol. 1 12. Sdf-Ralscd. VoL 2 Loom Holmes Holmes Holmes Duchess Qarvice Qarvice Qarvice Qarvice Southworth Southworth Southworth Southworth 13. Elsie Dinsmore Finley 14. Beulab Evans 15. Inez Evaas 16. The Baronet's Bride .... Fleming 17. Who Wins Fleming 18. Ten Nights in a Bar Ro