joe the hotel boy-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



〃I　want　a　couple　of　tickets　to　Golden　Pass；　too；〃　he　said；　carelessly。

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Let　me　see；　what　sleeper　did　that　other　gentleman　take？〃

〃Number　2；　sirberths　7　and　8。〃

〃Then　give　me　9　and　10　or　5　and　6；〃　went　on　Caven。

〃9　and　10here　you　are；　sir；〃　said　the　clerk；　and　made　out　the　berth　checks。　　Without　delay　Caven　hurried　away；　followed　by　Malone。

〃We'll　be　in　the　sleeping　compartment　right　next　to　that　used　by　Vane　and　the　boy；〃　chuckled　Gaff　Caven。　　〃Pat；　it　ought　to　be　dead　easy。〃

〃Have　you　the　chloroform？〃

〃Yes；　twice　as　much　as　we'll　need。〃

〃When　can　we　leave　the　train？〃

〃At　three　o'clock；　at　a　town　called　Snapwood。　We　can　get　another　train　two　hours　later；on　the　northern　route。〃

All　unconscious　of　being　watched　so　closely；　Maurice　Vane　and　Joe　rode　to　the　depot　and　boarded　the　train　when　it　came　along。　　Joe　had　been　looking　for　Caven　and　Malone；　but　without　success。

〃I　cannot　see　those　men　anywhere；〃　he　said。

〃They　are　probably　in　hiding；〃　said　his　employer。

The　train　was　only　half　full　and　for　the　time　being　Caven　and　Malone　kept　themselves　either　in　the　smoking　compartment　or　in　the　dining　car。　　It　was　dark　when　they　took　their　seats；　and　soon　the　porter　came　through　to　make　up　the　berths　for　the　night。

〃I　must　confess　I　am　rather　sleepy；〃　said　Maurice　Vane。

〃So　am　I；〃　returned　our　hero。　　〃I　am　sure　I　can　sleep　like　a　top；　no　matter　how　much　the　car　shakes。〃

〃Then　both　of　us　may　as　well　go　to　bed　at　once。〃

So　it　was　arranged；　and　they　had　the　porter　put　up　their　berths　a　few　minutes　later。　Maurice　Vane　took　the　lower　resting　place　while　our　hero　climbed　to　the　top。

Although　very　tired　it　was　some　time　before　Joe　could　get　to　sleep。　　He　heard　Maurice　Vane　breathing　heavily　and　knew　that　his　employer　must　be　fast　in　the　land　of　dreams。

When　Joe　awoke　it　was　with　a　peculiar；　dizzy　feeling　in　his　head。

His　eyes　pained　him　not　a　little　and　for　several　minutes　he　could　not　remember　where　he　was。　　Then　came　a　faint　recollection　of　having　tried　to　arise　during　the　night　but　of　being　held　down。

〃I　must　have　been　dreaming；〃　he　thought。　〃But　it　was　exactly　as　if　somebody　was　keeping　me　down　and　holding　something　over　my　mouth　and　nose。〃

He　stretched　himself　and　then　pushed　aside　the　berth　curtain　and　gazed　out　into　the　aisle　of　the　car。　　The　porter　was　already　at　work；　turning　some　of　the　berths　into　seats　once　more。　Joe　saw　that　it　was　daylight　and　consulted　the　nickel　watch　he　carried。

〃Eight　o'clock！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃I've　overslept　myself　sure！　Mr。　Vane　must　be　up　long　ago。〃

He　slipped　into　his　clothing　and　then　knocked　on　the　lower　berth。

He　heard　a　deep　sigh。

〃Mr。　Vane！〃

〃Eh？　　Oh；　Joe；　is　that　you？　　What　time　is　it？〃

〃Eight　o'clock。〃

〃What！〃　Maurice　Vane　started　up。　　〃I've　certainly　slept　fast　enough　this　trip。　　Are　you　getting　hungry　waiting　for　me？〃

〃I　just　woke　up　myself。〃

〃Oh！〃　Maurice　Vane　stretched　himself。　〃My；　how　dizzy　I　am。〃

〃I　am　dizzy　too；　sir。　　It　must　be　from　the　motion　of　the　car。〃

〃Probably；　although　I　rarely　feel　so；　and　I　ride　a　great　deal。　　I　feel　rather　sick　at　my　stomach；　too；〃　went　on　the　gentleman；　as　he　began　to　dress。

Joe　had　just　started　to　go　to　the　lavatory　to　wash　up　when　he　heard　his　employer　utter　an　exclamation。

〃Joe！〃

〃Yes；　sir！〃

〃Did　you　see　anything　of　my　satchel？〃

〃You　took　it　into　the　berth　with　you。〃

〃I　don't　see　it。〃

〃It　must　be　somewhere　around。　　I　saw　it　when　you　went　to　bed。〃

〃Yes；　I　put　it　under　my　pillow。〃

Both　made　a　hasty　search；　but　the　satchel　could　not　be　found。　　The　dress…suit　case　stood　under　the　seat　and　Joe's　was　beside　it。

〃This　is　strange。　　Can　I　have　been　robbed？〃

〃Was　there　much　in　that　satchel；　Mr。　Vane？〃

〃Yes；　those　mining　shares　and　some　other　articles　of　value。〃

〃Then　we　must　find　the　satchel　by　all　means。〃

〃I'll　question　the　porter　about　this。〃

The　colored　man　was　called　and　questioned；　but　he　denied　having　seen　the　bag。　　By　this　time　quite　a　few　passengers　became　interested。

〃Has　anybody　left　this　car？〃　asked　Maurice　Vane。

〃The　gen'men　that　occupied　Numbers　9　and　10；　sah；〃　said　the　porter。

〃When　did　they　get　off？〃

〃　'Bout　three　o'clock；　sahwhen　de　train　stopped　at　Snapwood。〃

〃I　haven't　any　tickets　for　Snapwood；〃　said　the　conductor；　who　had　appeared　on　the　scene。

〃Then　they　must　have　had　tickets　for　some　other　point；〃　said　Joe。

〃That　looks　black　for　them。〃

The　porter　was　asked　to　describe　the　two　men　and　did　so；　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　　Then　another　search　was　made；　and　in　a　corner；　under　a　seat；　a　bottle　was　found；　half　filled　with　chloroform。

〃It's　as　plain　as　day　to　me；〃　said　Maurice　Vane。　　〃Joe；　I　was　chloroformed。〃

〃Perhaps　I　was；　too。　　That's　what　gave　us　the　dizzy　feeling。〃

〃And　those　two　men〃

〃Must　have　been　Caven　and　Malone　in　disguise；〃　finished　our　hero。



CHAPTER　XXVII。


JOE　MAKES　A　DISCOVERY。


〃Who　are　Caven　and　Malone？〃　asked　the　conductor　of　the　train；　while　a　number　of　passengers　gathered　around；　to　hear　what　Maurice　Vane　and　our　hero　might　have　to　say。

〃They　are　two　rascals　who　are　trying　to　do　me　out　of　my　share　of　a　mine；〃　explained　Maurice　Vane。　　〃I　had　my　mining　shares　in　that　satchel。〃

〃If　you　wish　I'll　telegraph　back　to　Snapwood　for　you；〃　went　on　the　train　official。

〃How　many　miles　is　that？〃

〃A　little　over　two　hundred。〃

〃What　is　the　next　stop　of　this　train？〃

〃Leadington。〃

〃When　will　we　get　there？〃

〃In　ten　minutes。〃

A　telegram　was　prepared　and　sent　back　to　Snapwood　as　soon　as　Leadington　was　reached。　The　train　was　held　for　five　minutes　and　it　was　learned　that　nobody　had　been　seen　at　the　station　there　at　three　in　the　morning；　as　the　night　operator　and　station　master　were　away；　there　being　no　passengers　to　get　on　the　train　bound　West。

Maurice　Vane　was　much　disturbed　and　did　not　know　what　to　do。

〃To　go　back　and　look　for　them　at　Snapwood　may　be　a　mere　waste　of　time；〃　said　he。　　〃On　the　other　hand；　I　don't　feel　much　like　going　on　while　the　shares　are　out　of　my　possession。〃

〃If　you　wish　it；　Mr。　Vane；　I'll　go　back；〃　said　Joe。　　〃You　can　go　ahead；　and　if　anything　turns　up　I　will　telegraph　to　you。〃

This　pleased　the　gentleman；　and　he　said　Joe　could　go　back　on　the　very　next　train。　　The　conductor　was　again　consulted；　and　our　hero　left　the　train　bound　West　a　quarter　of　an　hour　later。

〃Here　is　some　money；〃　said　Maurice　Vane　on　parting。　　〃You'll　need　it。〃　　And　he　handed　over　two　hundred　dollars。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Vane！　will　I　need　as　much　as　this？〃

〃Perhaps。　　If　you　see　those　rascals　you　may　have　a　long　chase　to　capture　them。　　Do　not　hesitate　to　spend　the　money　if　it　appears　necessary　to　do　so。〃

Long　before　noon　our　hero　was　on　the　way　East　on　a　train　scheduled　to　stop　at　Snapwood。　He　went　without　his　dress…suit　case　and　carried　his　money　in　four　different　pockets。

The　train　was　almost　empty　and　the　riding　proved　decidedly　lonely。　　In　a　seat　he　found　an　Omaha　paper；　but　he　was　in　no　humor　for　reading。　　When　noon　came　he　took　his　time　eating　his　dinner；　so　that　the　afternoon's　ride　might　not　appear　so　lasting。

About　half…past　two　o'clock　the　train　came　to　an　unexpected　halt。

Looking　out　of　the　window　Joe　saw　that　they　were　in　something　of　a　cut；　close　to　the　edge　of　a　woods。

The　delay　continued；　and　presently　one　passenger　after　another　alighted；　to　learn　the　meaning　of　the　hold…up。　　Joe　did　likewise；　and　walked　through　the　cut　toward　the　locomotive。

The　mystery　was　easily　explained。　　On　one　side　of　the　cut　the　bank　had　toppled　over　the　tracks；　carrying　with　it　two　trees　of　good　size。　A　number　of　train　hands　were　already　at　work；　sawing　the　trees　into　pieces；　so　that　they　might　be　shifted　clear　of　the　tracks。

Joe　watched　the　men　laboring　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　walked　up　the　bank；　to　get　a　look　at　the　surroundings。　　Then　he　heard　a　whistle　and　saw　a　train　approaching　from　the　opposite　direction。　　It　came　to　a　halt　a　few　hundred　feet　away。

As　the　delay　continued　our　hero　walked　along　the　bank　of　the　cut　and　up　to　the　newly…arrived　train。　　The　latter　was　crowded　with　passengers；　some　of　whom　also　got　out。

〃Did　that　train　stop　at　Snapwood？〃　he　asked　of　one　of　the　passengers。

〃It　did；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Did　you　see　anybody　get　on？〃

〃No；　but　somebody　might　have　gotten　on。　I　wasn't　looking。〃

〃Thank　you。〃

〃Looking　for　a　friend？〃

〃No；〃　said　Joe；　and　moved　on。

Without　delay　our　hero　ran　to　the　front　end　of　the　newly…arrived　train　and　got　aboard。　　As　he　walked　through　he　gave　every　grown　passenger　a　close　look。

At　the　end　of　the　third　car　he　came　upon　two　suspicious…looking　individuals；　who　were　gazing　at　a　bit　of　paper　in　the　hands　of　one。　　Joe　came　closer　and　saw　that　the　paper　was　a　mining　share。

〃Caven　and　Malone；　as　sure　as　fate！〃　he　murmured　to　himself。　　〃What　had　I　best　do　next？〃

While　Joe　was　trying　to　make　up　his　mind；　Caven　chanced　to　glance　up　and　his　eyes　fell　upon　our　hero。　　He　gave　a　cry　of　dismay　and　thrust　the　mining　share　out　of　sight。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　asked　Malone　in　a　low　tone。

〃Look　there；　Pat！　That　boy！〃

〃No！〃

〃But　it　is！〃

〃How　did　he　get　on　this　train？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　it's　unpleasant　enough　for　us。〃

〃Do　you　suppose　Vane　is　around？〃　asked　Malone；　nervously。

〃He　may　be。〃

The　two　men　stared　around　the　car。　　Only　some　women　and　children　were　present；　the　men　having　gone　out　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　delay。

〃Perhaps　we　had　better　get　out；〃　went　on　Malone。

〃All　right〃

They　arose；　and；　satchel　in　hand；　started　to　leave　the　train。

〃Stop！〃　cried　Joe；　and　caught　Caven　by　the　arm。

〃Let　go　of　me；　boy！〃　ejaculated　the　rascal；　and　tried　to　pull　himself　loose。

〃I　won't　let　go；　Gaff　Caven。〃

〃If　you　don't；　it　will　be　the　worse　for　you！　I　am　not　to　be　trifled　with！〃

〃You　must　give　up　that　satchel。〃

〃Bah！〃

〃If　you　don't；　I'm　going　to　have　you　arrested。〃

〃Who　is　going　to　arrest　me　here？〃　sneered　the　man　who　had　robbed　Maurice　Vane。　　〃Don't　you　know　we　are　miles　away　from　any　town？〃

〃I　don't　care。　　Give　up　the　satchel；　or　I'll　call　the　train　hands。〃

〃I'll　give　up　nothing；　boy！　Stand　out　of　my　way！〃

Gaff　Caven　gave　Joe　a　violent　shove　which　sent　our　hero　up　against　a　seat。　　Then　he　turned　and　ran　from　the　car；　w