joe the hotel boy-第2部分

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〃It　must　have　been　a　nice　place　in　its　day；〃　returned　Joe。　　〃What　a　pity　to　let　it　run　down　in　this　fashion。〃

〃The　rain　is　coming　around　on　this　side　now；　Joe；　let　us　shift　to　the　other。〃

The　hermit's　boy　was　willing；　and　watching　their　chance；　between　the　downpours；　they　ran　around　to　another　portion　of　the　old　lodge。

〃It　certainly　is　a　little　better　here；〃　observed　Joe；　as　he　dashed　the　water　from　his　cap。

A　minute　later　the　rumbling　of　the　thunder　ceased　for　the　time　being；　and　they　heard　a　murmur　of　voices　coming　from　one　of　the　rooms　of　the　lodge。

〃Why；　somebody　must　be　here！〃　ejaculated　Ned。　　〃Who　can　it　be？〃

〃Two　men；　by　their　voices；〃　answered　the　hermit's　boy。　　〃Wait　till　I　take　a　look　at　them？〃

〃Why　not　go　in？〃　questioned　the　rich　youth；　carelessly。

〃They　may　not　be　persons　that　we　would　care　to　meet；　Ned。　　You　know　there　are　some　undesirable　characters　about　the　lake。〃

〃That's　true。〃

Not　far　off　was　a　narrow　window；　the　panes　of　glass　of　which　had　long　since　been　broken　out。　　Moving　toward　this；　Joe　peered　into　the　apartment　beyond。

Close　to　an　old　fireplace；　in　which　a　few　sticks　of　half…green　timber　were　burning；　sat　two　men。　　Both　were　well　dressed；　and　Joe　rightfully　surmised　that　they　were　from　the　city。　　Each　wore　a　hunting　outfit　and　had　a　gun；　but　neither　had　any　game。

〃We　came　on　a　wild…goose　chase；〃　grumbled　one；　as　he　stirred　the　fire。　　〃Got　nothing　but　a　soaking　for　our　pains。〃

〃Never　mind；　Malone；〃　returned　the　other；　who　was　evidently　the　better　educated　of　the　two。　　〃As　we　had　to　make　ourselves　scarce　in　the　city　this　was　as　good　a　place　to　come　to　as　any。〃

〃Don't　you　think　they'll　look　for　us　here？〃

〃Why　should　they？　　We　were　sharp　enough　not　to　leave　any　trail　behindat　least；　I　was。〃

〃Reckon　I　was　just　as　sharp；　Caven。〃

〃You　had　to　beotherwise　you　would　have　been　nabbed。〃　　Gaff　Caven　chuckled　to　himself。　　〃We　outwitted　them　nicely；　I　must　say。　We　deserve　credit。〃

〃I've　spent　more　than　half　of　what　I　got　out　of　the　deal；〃　went　on　Pat　Malone；　for　such　was　the　full　name　of　one　of　the　speakers。

〃I've　spent　more　than　that。　　But　never　mind；　my　boy；　fortune　will　favor　us　again　in　the　near　future。〃

A　crash　of　thunder　drowned　out　the　conversation　following；　and　Joe　hurried　back　to　where　he　had　left　Ned。

〃Well；　have　you　found　out　who　they　are？〃　demanded　the　rich　youth；　impatiently。

〃No；　Ned；　but　I　am　sure　of　one　thing。〃

〃What　is　that？〃

〃They　are　two　bad　men。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　that？〃

〃They　said　something　about　having　to　get　out　of　the　city；　and　one　spoke　about　being　nabbed。　　Evidently　they　went　away　to　avoid　arrest。〃

At　this　announcement　Ned　Talmadge　whistled　softly　to　himself。

〃Phew！　What　shall　we　do　about　it？〃　he　asked；　with　a　look　of　concern　on　his　usually　passive　face。

Joe　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

〃Let　us　listen　to　what　they　have　to　say。　Maybe　we'll　strike　some　clew　to　what　they　have　been　doing。〃

〃Would　that　be　fairto　play　the　eaves…dropper？〃

〃Certainlyif　they　are　evildoers。　　Anybody　who　has　done　wrong　ought　to　be　locked　up　for　it；〃　went　on　Ned　boldly。

With　caution　the　two　boys　made　their　way　to　the　narrow　window；　and　Ned　looked　in　as　Joe　had　done。　　The　backs　of　the　two　men　were　still　towards　the　opening；　so　the　lads　were　not　discovered。

〃What　is　this　new　game？〃　they　heard　the　man　called　Malone　ask；　after　a　peal　of　thunder　had　rolled　away　among　the　mountains。

〃It's　the　old　game　of　a　sick　miner　with　some　valuable　stocks　to　sell；〃　answered　Gaff　Caven。

〃Have　you　got　the　stocks？〃

〃To　be　sureone　thousand　shares　of　the　Blue　Bell　Mine；　of　Montana；　said　to　be　worth　exactly　fifty　thousand　dollars。〃

〃Phew！　You're　flying　high；　Gaff！〃　laughed　Pat　Malone。

〃And　why　not；　so　long　as　I　sell　the　stocks？〃

〃What　did　they　cost　you？〃

〃Well；　they　didn't　cost　me　fifty　thousand　dollars；〃　and　Gaff　Caven　closed　one　eye　suggestively。

〃You　bet　they　didn't！　More　than　likely　they　didn't　cost　you　fifty　dollars。〃

〃What；　such　elegantly　engraved　stocks　as　those？〃

〃Pooh！　I　can　buy　a　bushel…basket　full　of　worthless　stocks　for　a　dollar；〃　came　from　Pat　Malone。　　〃But　that　isn't　here　nor　there。　　I　go　into　the　deal　if　you　give　me　my　fair　share　of　the　earnings。〃

〃I'll　give　you　one…third；　Pat；　and　that's　a　fair　share；　I　think。〃

〃Why　not　make　it　half？〃

〃Because　I'll　do　the　most　of　the　work。　　It's　no　easy　matter　to　find　a　victim。〃　And　Gaff　Caven　laughed　broadly。　　He　had　a　good…　appearing　face；　but　his　eyes　were　small　and　not　to　be　trusted。

〃All　right；　I'll　go　in　for　a　third　then。　　But　how　soon　is　the　excitement　to　begin？〃

〃Oh；　in　a　week　or　so。　　I've　got　the　advertisements　in　the　papers　already。〃

〃Not　in　New　York？〃

〃No；　it's　Philadelphia　this　time。　　Perhaps　I'll　land　one　of　our　Quaker　friends。〃

〃Don't　be　so　sure。　　The　Quakers　may　be　slow　but　they　generally　know　what　they　are　doing。〃

More　thunder　interrupted　the　conversation　at　this　point；　and　when　it　was　resumed　the　two　men　talked　in　such　low　tones　that　only　an　occasional　word　could　be　caught　by　the　two　boys。

〃They　surely　must　be　rascals；〃　remarked　Ned；　in　a　whisper。　　〃I'm　half　of　a　mind　to　have　them　locked　up。〃

〃That's　easier　said　than　done；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃Besides；　we　haven't　any　positive　proofs　against　them。〃

The　wind　was　now　rising；　and　it　soon　blew　so　furiously　that　the　two　boys　were　forced　to　seek　the　shelter　of　the　woodshed；　since　they　did　not　deem　it　wise　to　enter　the　lodge　so　long　as　the　two　men　were　inside。　　They　waited　in　the　shed　for　fully　half　an　hour；　when；　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun；　the　storm　let　up　and　the　sun　began　to　peep　forth　from　between　the　scattering　clouds。

〃Now　we　can　go　home　if　we　wish；〃　said　Joe。　　〃But　for　my　part；　I'd　like　to　stay　and　see　what　those　men　do；　and　where　they　go　to。〃

〃Yes；　let　us　stay　by　all　means；〃　answered　the　rich　youth。

They　waited　a　few　minutes　longer　and　then　Ned　suggested　that　they　look　into　the　window　of　the　lodge　once　more。　　The　hermit's　boy　was　willing；　and　they　approached　the　larger　building　with　caution。

Much　to　their　astonishment　the　two　strangers　had　disappeared。

〃Hullo！　what　do　you　make　of　that？〃　cried　Ned；　in　amazement。

〃Perhaps　they　are　in　one　of　the　other　rooms；〃　suggested　Joe。

At　the　risk　of　being　caught；　they　entered　the　lodge　and　looked　into　one　room　after　another。　　Every　apartment　was　vacant；　and　they　now　saw　that　the　fire　in　the　fireplace　had　been　stamped　out。

〃They　must　have　left　while　we　were　in　the　woodshed；〃　said　Ned。

〃Maybe　they　are　out　on　the　lake；〃　answered　the　hermit's　boy；　and　he　ran　down　to　the　water's　edge；　followed　by　his　companion。　　But　though　they　looked　in　every　direction；　not　a　craft　of　any　kind　was　to　be　seen。

〃Joe；　they　didn't　take　to　the　water；　consequently　they　must　have　left　by　one　of　the　mountain　paths。〃

〃That　is　true；　and　if　they　did　they'll　have　no　nice　time　in　getting　through。　　All　the　bushes　are　sopping　wet；　and　the　mud　is　very　slippery　in　places。〃

They　walked　to　the　rear　of　the　lodge　and　soon　found　the　footprints　of　the　two　strangers。　They　led　through　the　bushes　and　were　lost　at　a　small　brook　that　ran　into　the　lake。

〃There　is　no　use　of　our　trying　to　follow　this　any　further；〃　said　Joe。　　〃You'll　get　your　clothing　covered　with　water　and　mud。〃

〃I　don't　intend　to　follow；〃　answered　Ned。　〃Just　the　same；　I　should　like　to　know　more　about　those　fellows。〃

〃I　wish　I　had　seen　their　faces。〃

〃Yes；　it's　a　pity　we　didn't　get　a　better　look　at　them。　　But　I'd　know　their　voices。〃

By　the　time　they　gave　up　the　hunt　the　sun　was　shining　brightly。　　Both　walked　to　where　the　boat　had　been　left；　and　Joe　turned　the　craft　over　so　that　the　water　might　run　out。　Then　he　mopped　off　the　seats　as　best　he　could。

Ned　wanted　to　go　directly　home；　and　he　and　Joe　rowed　the　craft　in　the　direction　of　Riverside。　As　they　passed　along　the　lake　shore　the　hermit's　boy　noted　that　several　trees　had　been　struck　by　lightning。

〃I'm　glad　the　lightning　didn't　strike　the　lodge　while　we　were　there；〃　said　he。

〃It　was　certainly　a　severe　storm　while　it　lasted；　Joe。　　By　the　way；　shall　I　say　anything　about　those　two　men？〃

〃Perhaps　it　won't　do　any　harm　to　tell　your　father；　Ned。〃

〃Very　well；　I'll　do　it。〃

Soon　Riverside　was　reached；　and　having　paid　for　the　fish　and　the　outing；　Ned　Talmadge　walked　in　the　direction　of　his　residence。　　Joe　shoved　off　from　the　tiny　dock　and　struck　out　for　his　home。　　He　did　not　dream　of　the　calamity　that　awaited　him　there。



CHAPTER　III。


A　HOME　IN　RUINS。


As　Joe　rowed　toward　his　home　on　the　mountain　side；　a　good　mile　from　Riverside；　he　could　not　help　but　think　of　the　two　mysterious　men　and　of　what　they　had　said。

〃They　were　certainly　rascals；〃　he　mused。　〃And　from　their　talk　they　must　have　come　from　New　York　and　are　now　going　to　try　some　game　in　Philadelphia。〃

The　hermit's　boy　was　tired　out　by　the　day's　outing；　yet　he　pulled　a　fairly　quick　stroke　and　it　was　not　long　before　he　reached　the　dock　at　which　he　and　Hiram　Bodley　were　in　the　habit　of　leaving　their　boat。　　He　cleaned　the　craft　out；　hid　the　oars　in　the　usual　place；　and　then；　with　his　fishing　lines　in　one　hand　and　a　good　sized　fish　in　the　other；　started　up　the　trail　leading　to　the　place　that　he　called　home。

〃What　a　place　to　come　to；　alongside　of　the　one　Ned　lives　in；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃I　suppose　the　Talmadges　think　this　is　a　regular　hovel。　I　wish　we　could　afford　something　better；or　at　least　live　in　town。　　It's　lonesome　here　with　nobody　but　old　Uncle　Hiram　around。〃

As　Joe　neared　the　cabin　something　seemed　to　come　over　him　and；　for　some　reason　he　could　not　understand；　he　felt　very　much　depressed　in　spirits。　　He　quickened　his　pace；　until　a　turn　of　the　trail　brought　the　homestead　into　view。

A　cry　of　alarm　broke　from　his　lips　and　with　good　reason。　　The　little　shelter　had　stood　close　to　a　large　hemlock　tree。　　The　lightning　had　struck　the　tree；　causing　it　to　topple　ever。　　In　falling；　it　had　landed　fairly　and　squarely　upon　the　cabin；　smashing　it　completely。　　One　corner　of　the　cabin　was　in　ashes；　but　the　heavy　rain　had　probably　extinguished　the　conflagration。

〃Uncle　Hiram！〃　cried　the　boy；　as　soon　as　he　recovered　from　his　amazement。　　〃Uncle　Hiram；　where　are　you？〃

There　was　no　answer　to　this　call　and　for　the　moment　J