joe the hotel boy-第4部分

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At　last　the　two　boys　sat　down　on　a　bench　in　front　of　the　cabin。　　Both　were　tired　out；　Ned　especially　so。　　Joe　was　much　downcast　and　his　friend　did　what　he　could　to　cheer　him　up。

〃The　box　is　bound　to　come　to　light　some　day；〃　said　Ned。　　〃That　is；　unless　some　of　those　men　carried　it　off。〃

〃What　men；　Ned？〃

〃The　fellows　who　helped　to　mend　the　cabin　just　before　the　funeral。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　think　they　would　steal　the　box。　Bart　Andrews　and　Jack　Thompson　are　as　honest　as　the　day　is　long。〃

〃Well；　it's　mighty　queer　you　can't　find　some　trace　of　the　blue　box。〃

The　boys　talked　the　matter　over　for　some　time；　and　then　Ned　announced　that　he　must　go　home。

〃You　can　go　with　me　if　you　wish；〃　he　said。　　〃It　will　be　better　than　staying　here　all　alone。〃

But　Joe　declined　the　offer。

〃I'll　stay　here；　and　begin　the　hunt　again　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；〃　he　said。

〃Well；　if　you　want　anything；　come　and　see　me；　Joe；　won't　you？〃

〃I　will；　Ned。〃

Ned　had　come　over　in　his　own　boat　and　now　Joe　walked　down　to　the　lake　with　him。　　His　friend　gone；　the　hermit's　boy　returned　to　the　delapidated　cabin。

He　was　hungry　but　he　had　no　heart　to　eat。　He　munched　some　bread　and　cheese　which　a　neighbor　had　brought　over。　　He　felt　utterly　alone　in　the　great　worlds　and　when　he　thought　of　this　a　strange　feeling　came　over　him。

It　was　a　bitter　night　for　the　poor　boy；　but　when　morning　came　his　mind　was　made　up。　He　would　make　his　own　way　in　the　world；　asking　aid　from　no　one；　not　even　Ned。

〃And　if　I　can't　find　the　blue　box　I'll　get　along　without　it；〃　he　told　himself。

As　soon　as　it　was　light　he　procured　breakfast　and　then　started　on　another　hunt　for　the　missing　box。　　The　entire　day　was　spent　in　the　search；　but　without　results。　　Towards　night；　Joe　went　down　to　the　lake。　　Here　he　caught　a　couple　of　small　fish；　which　he　fried　for　his　supper。

All　told；　Joe　had　exactly　a　dollar　and　a　half　of　his　own　and　nine　dollars　which　he　had　found　in　the　hermit's　pocketbook。

〃Ten　dollars　and　a　half；〃　he　mused；　as　he　counted　the　amount　over。　　〃Not　very　much　to　go　out　into　the　world　with。　　If　I　want　to　do　anything　in　town　I'll　have　to　buy　some　clothes。〃

From　this　it　will　be　surmised　that　Joe　was　thinking　of　giving　up　his　roving　life　around　the　lake　and　mountains；　and　this　was　true。

Hunting　and　fishing　appealed　to　him　only　in　an　uncertain　way；　and　he　longed　to　go　forth　into　the　busy　world　and　make　something　of　himself。

He　had　two　suits　of　clothing；　but　both　were　very　much　worn；　and　so　were　his　shoes　and　his　cap。　　Hiram　Bodley　had　left　some　old　clothing；　but　they　were　too　big　for　the　boy。

〃I　guess　I'll　get　Jasok　the　peddler　to　come　up　here　and　make　me　an　offer　for　what　is　here；〃　he　told　himself。

Jasok　was　a　Hebrew　peddler　who　drove　around　through　the　lake　region；　selling　tinware　and　doing　all　sorts　of　trading。　　It　was　time　for　him　to　visit　that　neighborhood　and　Joe　went　to　the　nearest　house　on　the　main　road　and　asked　about　the　man。

〃He　will　most　likely　be　along　to…morrow；　Joe；〃　said　the　neighbor。

〃If　he　comes；　Mr。　Smith；　will　you　send　him　over　to　my　place？　　Tell　him　I　want　an　offer　for　the　things。〃

〃Going　to　sell　out；　Joe？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　after　that？〃

〃Try　for　some　job　in　town。〃

〃That's　a　good　idea。　　Hunting　and　fishing　isn't　what　it　used　to　be。　　What　do　you　want　for　the　things？〃

〃All　I　can　get；〃　and　a　brief　smile　hovered　on　Joe's　face。

〃I　wouldn't　sell　out　too　cheap。　　Jasok　is　a　great　fellow　to　drive　a　bargain。〃

〃If　he　won't　give　me　a　fair　price；　I'll　load　the　things　on　the　rowboat　and　sell　them　in　town。〃

〃That's　an　idea。　　Do　you　want　to　sell　Hiram's　double…barrel　shot　gun？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃I'll　give　you　ten　dollars　for　it。〃

〃I　was　going　to　ask　twelve；　Mr。　Smith。　It's　a　pretty　good　gun。〃

〃So　it　is；　although　it　is　a　little　bit　old…fashioned。　　Well；　bring　it　over　and　I'll　allow　you　twelve　dollars；〃　answered　the　neighbor；　who　was　willing　to　assist　Joe　all　he　could。

Joe　went　back　for　the　gun　without　delay；　and　received　his　money。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　cabin　and　brought　out　all　the　goods　he　wished　to　sell。

By　the　middle　of　the　next　day　the　Hebrew　peddler　appeared。　　At　first　he　declared　that　all　of　the　things　Joe　had　to　sell　were　not　worth　two　dollars。

〃Very　well；　if　you　think　that；　we　won't　talk　about　it；〃　said　Joe；　briefly。

〃Da　vos　all　vorn　out；〃　said　Jasok。　　〃De　clothes　vos　rags；　and　de　furniture　an'　dishes　was　kracked。〃

〃If　you　don't　want　them；　I'll　take　them　to　town　and　sell　them。　　I　am　sure　Moskowsky　will　buy　them。〃

Now　it　happened　that　Moskowsky　was　a　rival　peddler　who　also　boasted　of　the　ownership　of　a　second…hand　store。　　To　think　that　the　goods　might　go　to　this　man　nettled　Jasok　exceedingly。

〃Vell；　I　likes　you；　Cho；〃　he　said。　　〃I　vos　your　friend；　an'　I　gif　you　dree　dollars　for　dem　dings。〃

〃You　can　have　them　for　ten　dollars；〃　answered　the　boy。

A　long　talk　followed；　and　in　the　end　the　Hebrew　peddler　agreed　to　pay　seven　dollars　and　a　half；　providing　Joe　would　help　to　carry　the　goods　to　the　main　road；　where　the　wagon　had　been　left。　　The　money　was　paid　over；　and　by　nightfall　all　of　the　goods　were　on　the　wagon；　and　Joe　was　left　at　the　cabin　with　nothing　but　the　suit　on　his　back。　　But　he　had　thirty　dollars　in　his　pocket；　which　he　counted　over　with　great　satisfaction。

〃I　ought　to　be　able　to　get　something　to　do　before　that　is　gone；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃If　I　don't；　it　will　be　my　own　fault。〃



CHAPTER　V。


A　NEW　SUIT　OF　CLOTHES。


On　the　following　day　it　rained　early　in　the　morning；　so　Joe　had　to　wait　until　noon　before　he　left　the　old　cabin。　　He　took　with　him　all　that　remained　of　his　possessions；　including　the　precious　pocketbook　with　the　thirty　dollars。　When　he　thought　of　the　blue　box　he　sighed。

〃Perhaps　it　will　never　come　to　light；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃Well；　if　it　does　not　I'll　have　to　make　the　best　of　it。〃

Two　o'clock　found　him　on　the　streets　of　Riverside；　which　was　a　town　of　fair　size。　　During　the　summer　months　many　visitors　were　in　the　place　and　the　hotels　and　boarding　houses　were　crowded。

There　was　one　very　fine　clothing　store　in　Riverside；　but　Joe　did　not　deem　it　best；　with　his　limited　capital；　to　go　there　for　a　suit。　　Instead　he　sought　out　a　modest　establishment　on　one　of　the　side　streets。

Just　ahead　of　him　was　an　Irish　couple　who　had　evidently　not　been　in　this　country　many　years。　　The　man　entered　the　store　awkwardly；　as　if　he　did　not　feel　at　home。　　Not　so　his　wife；　who　walked　a　little　in　advance　of　her　husband。

〃Have　you　got　any　men's　coats？〃　said　she　to　the　clerk　who　came　forward　to　wait　on　the　pair。　　〃If　I　can　get　one　cheap　for　me　husband　here　I'll　buy　one。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　madam；〃　was　the　ready　reply。　〃We　have　the　best　stock　in　town；　by　all　odds。　You　can't　fail　to　be　suited。〃

So　saying；　he　led　the　way　to　a　counter　piled　high　with　the　articles　called　for；　and　hauled　them　over。

〃There；〃　said　he；　pulling　out　one　of　a　decidedly　ugly　pattern。　　〃There　is　one　of　first　quality　cloth。　　It　was　made　for　a　gentleman　of　this　town；　but　did　not　exactly　fit　him；　and　so　we'll　sell　it　cheap。〃

〃And　what　is　the　price？〃

〃Three　dollars。〃

〃Three　dollars！〃　exclaimed　the　Irish　lady；　lifting　up　her　hands　in　extreme　astonishment。

〃Three　dollars！　You'll　be　afther　thinkin'　we're　made　of　money；　sure！　I'll　give　you　a　dollar　and　a　half。〃

〃No；　ma'am；　we　don't　trade　in　that　way。　We　don't　very　often　take　half　what　we　ask　for　an　article。〃

〃Mike；〃　said　she；　〃pull　off　yer　coat　an'　thry　it　on。　　Three　dollars；　and　it　looks　as　if　it　was　all　cotton。〃

〃Not　a　thread　of　cotton　in　that；〃　was　the　clerk's　reply。

〃Not　wan；　but　a　good　many；　I'm　thinkin'；〃　retorted　the　Irish　lady；　as　she　helped　her　husband　draw　on　the　coat。　　It　fitted　tolerably　well　and　Mike　seemed　mightily　pleased　with　his　transformation。

〃Come；〃　said　the　wife。　　〃What　will　ye　take？〃

〃As　it's　you；　I'll　take　off　twenty…five　cents；〃　replied　the　clerk。

〃And　sell　it　to　me　for　two　dollars？〃　inquired　his　customer；　who　had　good　cause　for　her　inaccurate　arithmetic。

〃For　two　dollars　and　seventy…five　cents。〃

〃Two　dollars　and　seventy…five　cents！　It's　taking　the　bread　out　of　the　childer's　mouths　you'd　have　us；　paying　such　a　price　as　that！　I'll　give　you　two　twenty…five；　an'　I'll　be　coming　again　some　time。〃

〃We　couldn't　take　so　low　as　two　twenty…　five；　ma'am。　　You　may　have　it　for　two　dollars　and　a　half。〃

After　another　ineffectual　attempt　to　get　it　for　two　dollars　and　a　quarter；　the　Irish　woman　finally　offered　two　dollars　and　forty…five　cents；　and　this　offer　was　accepted。

She　pulled　out　a　paper　of　change　and　counted　out　two　dollars　and　forty　cents；　when　she　declared　that　she　had　not　another　cent。　　But　the　clerk　understood　her　game　and　coolly　proceeded　to　put　the　coat　back　on　the　pile。　　Then　the　woman　very　opportunely　found　another　five…cent　piece　stored　away　in　the　corner　of　her　pocket。

〃It's　robbin'　me；　ye　are；〃　said　she　as　she　paid　it　over。

〃Oh；　no；　ma'am；　you　are　getting　a　great　bargain；〃　answered　the　clerk。

Joe　had　witnessed　the　bargaining　with　a　good　deal　of　quiet　amusement。　　As　soon　as　the　Irish　couple　had　gone　the　clerk　came　toward　the　boy。

〃Well；　young　man；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　he　asked；　pleasantly。

〃I　want　a　suit　of　clothing。　　Not　an　expensive　suit；　but　one　guaranteed　to　be　all　wool。〃

〃A　light　or　a　dark　suit？〃

〃A　dark　gray。〃

〃I　can　fit　you　out　in　a　fine　suit　of　this　order；〃　and　the　clerk　pointed　to　several　lying　in　a　heap　nearby。

〃I　don't　want　that　sort。　　I　want　something　on　the　order　of　those　in　the　window　marked　nine　dollars　and　a　half。〃

〃Oh；　all　right。〃

Several　suits　were　brought　forth；　and　one　was　found　that　fitted　Joe　exceedingly　well。

〃You　guarantee　this　to　be　all　wool？〃　asked　the　boy。

〃Every　thread　of　it。〃

〃Then　I'll　take　it〃

〃Very　well；　the　price　is　twelve　dollars。〃

〃Isn't　it　like　that　in　the　window？〃

〃On　that　order；　but　a　trifle　better。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　to　be　about　the　same　suit。　I'll　give　you　nine　dollars　and　a　half。〃

〃I　can't　take　it。　　I'll　give　it　to　you　for　eleven　and　a　half。　　That　is　our　best　figure。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　elsewhere　for　a　suit；〃　answered　Joe；　and　started　to　leave　the　clothing　establishment。

〃Hold　on；　don't　be　so　fast！〃　cried　the　clerk；　catching　him　by　the　arm。　　〃I'll　make　it　eleven　a