Jed, the Poorhouse Boy
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"No, sir; I am a stranger in the city."
"Indeed!" and here the stranger allowed his gaze to rest on the small gripsack that Jed had placed on the seat beside him. "Perhaps you have come in quest of work?"
"Yes, sir," answered Jed.
"Have you found anything yet?"
"No, sir, but I have only been here since yesterday morning. Do you know of any situation that I could fill?"
"Well, no, no permanent position," answered the other deliberately. "I might give you a chance to earn," here he hesitated, "two dollars this evening. But perhaps that would not be worth your while."
"Yes, sir, I should be glad to earn even that," said Jed eagerly.
"Then perhaps I may employ you. Can you row a boat?"
"Yes, sir. I think so. I have rowed on a pond up in Scranton."
"Then you can probably row here. I would row part of the way myself."
"When do you want me?" asked Jed.
"Not till late this evening. I will explain when the time comes."
Jed was disappointed. He had hoped to do the work at once, and receive the money. Then he could buy himself some supper, for he was already hungry. He found that his appetite was just as regular as if he were earning a living income, instead of being impecunious and without work.
"At what time shall I meet you, sir?"
"At eleven o'clock, here."
"Yes, sir," answered Jed, wondering what he was to do during the intervening time.
As he had no money, he must defer eating till then, and it occurred to him that he would hardly feel able to row any considerable distance unless refreshed by food. Could he venture to ask a part of the sum he was to earn in advance? He decided to do so.
"I am going to ask a favor," he said hurriedly. "I have been robbed of all my money, and I have not enough to buy my supper. If you let me have half a dollar on account–"
He feared that this proposal would be distasteful to his companion, but the sallow-faced man did not seem offended.
"Perhaps," he said thoughtfully, "I had better keep you with me, and let you eat supper with me."
"Very well, sir," said Jed, feeling relieved.
The other looked relieved.
"It is half-past five," he said. "We may as well start now."
He rose leisurely from his seat, and Jed followed him. He walked to the head of the Battery, and keeping near the piers, led the way to a humble tavern called "The Sailor's Rest."
"This will do," he said. "It is not very fashionable, but they can give us a comfortable meal."
Certainly the interior presented a great contrast to the Astor House, where Jed had lunched, or rather dined. The floor was sanded, the tables were unprovided with tablecloths. There was a bar on one side of the room, over which presided a stout bartender with mottled cheeks and a dirty white apron.
"Where is the restaurant?" asked Jed's companion.
"In there," answered the bartender with a jerk of his finger in the direction of a back room.
With a nod the sallow-faced man beckoned Jed to follow him. Opening a door, he led the way into a room provided with four tables only. On each table was a small bell.
Jed and his guide sat down, and the latter rang the bell.
A dirty-faced man, with a beard of several days' growth, made his appearance.
"We want some supper."
"What'll you have?"
"What can we have?"
"Beefsteak, ham and eggs."
"What else?"
"Eggs without."
"Without what?"
"Ham."
The sallow man shrugged his shoulders.
"It seems we must choose between beefsteak and ham and eggs," he said. "What will you have?"
"Ham and eggs," answered Jed.
"All right. Ham and eggs for two."
"Anything else?"
"Two bottles of lager. You drink beer, don't you?"
"No," answered Jed.
"Then bring the boy some tea or coffee—whichever he prefers."
"Tea," suggested Jed.
"Bread and butter, of course, and fried potatoes, if you can get them ready."
While they were waiting the man leaned back in his chair and stared out of the window at a dirty back yard, but his thoughts seemed to be otherwise occupied. Jed's eyes wandered about the room, but found little to attract him in the two or three prints—one of a yacht, another of a merchant vessel—that adorned the walls.
On the mantel was a soiled piece of coral and a large seashell. All seemed to harmonize with the name of the inn. Jed, however, felt but a fleeting interest in the furnishings of the place. His mind dwelt rather on the promised supper.
He could not understand how in this crisis of his fortunes, when there was so much to discourage him, he should have such an appetite. Savory odors from the neighboring kitchen found their way into the room when the waiter opened the door and entered to set the table.
Jed was glad to overlook the cheap and dark-hued crockery, the rusty knives and forks and the chipped glasses, as the odor of the ham and eggs was wafted to his nostrils. Finally the beer and tea were brought in, and his companion signaled to him to fall to.
"Where did you dine?" he asked abruptly.
"At the Astor House."
The sallow-faced man paused with his glass, which he had just filled, half-way to his lips.
"Was that before you were robbed of your money?" he asked.
"No, sir, but I met a gentleman whom I knew at the seaside, and he invited me to dine with him."
"Oh, that explains it. This is a very different place from the Astor House."
"I should think so," said Jed smiling.
"Still we can probably satisfy our hunger."
"Oh, yes," responded Jed, and he made a vigorous onslaught on the contents of his plate.
In a few minutes supper was over, and Jed felt better. It is wonderful how much more cheerful views we take of life and the world on a full than on an empty stomach.
Jed experienced this. He couldn't, to be sure, look very far ahead, but he had had three meals that day in spite of an empty purse, and the money he was to earn would insure him a bed and three meals for the coming day, in all probability.
"It is half-past six" said his companion, referring to his watch—"a good while before I shall need your services. Do you feel tired?"
"Yes, sir; I have been on my feet all day."
"Wait a minute."
He went out and returned in a moment.
"I have engaged a room for you," he said. "You can occupy it now if you like it, and after our expedition return to pass the balance of the night. You can leave your valise there, as it will only be in your way on the boat."
"Thank you, sir."
This solved one of Jed's problems in a pleasant manner. The waiter led the way up stairs to a small room just large enough to hold a bed and washstand, and said, "That'll do you, I guess."
"Oh yes," responded Jed cheerfully.
"The gentleman says you can lie down, and he'll call you when you're wanted."
Jed was glad of this permission, for he felt very much in need of rest. He took off his coat and laid down on the bed. The couch he found not a very luxurious one. It consisted of a thin—a very thin—mattress laid upon wooden slats, and the pillow was meagre.
But he soon fell asleep, and slept so soundly that it seemed as if only five minutes had elapsed when some one shook him, and opening his eyes, they rested on his sallow-faced employer.
"Time to get up," said the latter abruptly.
Jed sprang from the bed, and, his eyes only half open, said, "I am ready."
"Follow me, then."
He followed his guide, who walked rapidly through the dark streets till he reached a pier not far from the Battery. There was a boat moored alongside, rising and falling with the tide. There was one man already in it.
"Come along!" said his guide briefly.
Jed descended a ladder, and took his place in the boat. His companion seized the oars, signing to Jed to take his seat in the bow. Then he began to row, much better then Jed could have done.
They struck out towards Governor's Island, passed it, and proceeded a considerable distance beyond. Here lay a yacht. There was no light on board, so far as Jed could see, and it looked to be quite deserted.
The rower slackened his speed (he had not yet called upon Jed to row) and said quickly: "I want you to board that yacht. Go down into the cabin. There you will see a box, perhaps a foot square and ten inches deep. Bring it to me."
"But," said Jed, in bewilderment, "is—is it yours?"
"No," answered the sallow-faced man composedly. "It belongs to a friend of mine, the owner of the yacht. I promised to come out and get it for him."
CHAPTER XXIX.
A SURPRISE PARTY
The words of the sallow-faced man dissipated any suspicions which Jed may have entertained, and he clambered on board the yacht without much difficulty, for he was active and agile.
"Good!" said his employer. "Now go into the cabin, and be quick about it."
Jed did not understand why he should be quick about it. There was plenty of time, he thought.
Another thing puzzled him, now that he had had a chance to think the matter over. Why was the visit postponed till near midnight?
A city boy would not have had his suspicions so easily allayed; but Jed was unused to city ways, and, it may be added, to city wickedness.
The cabin seemed to be dark. He felt his way down stairs, and struck a match which he had in his pocket in order to see better the location of the box. He had just picked up the latter, finding it to be heavy, when he felt a hand laid on his arm, and looking up, met the stern gaze of a young man about twenty-eight years of age.
"What are you about here, young fellow?" he asked abruptly.
Jed was a little startled, but, not being aware that he was doing anything wrong, he replied composedly, "I was taking this box, sir."
"I see you were; but what business have you to take the box?"
"I was sent for it."
"Sent for it?" repeated the young man, looking puzzled. "Who sent you for it?"
"The gentleman in the boat outside."
"Oh ho! So there is a gentleman in the boat outside?"
"Certainly, sir. Isn't it—all right?"
"Well, I should say not, unless you consider theft right."
"What!" exclaimed Jed aghast. "Is the man who employed me a thief?"
"It looks very much like it."
At this moment the sallow-faced man called in an impatient tone, "What are you about there, you lazy young rascal? Don't be all night!"
"Is there more than one man in the boat?" asked the young man in the cabin.
"Yes, sir; there are two."
"The harbor police ought to be somewhere about. I'll rouse them if I can."
The young man went to the port-hole which served to light the cabin and fired a pistol.
"Confusion! There's some one on the yacht!" exclaimed the sallow-faced man. "We must get off."
Dipping his oars in the water, he rowed quickly away, leaving Jed to his fate. But the shot had been heard on another boat not fifty rods distant, and the piratical craft was pursued and eventually overhauled. Meanwhile Jed remained on board the yacht, whether as a prisoner or not he did not know.
"Your companions have taken alarm," said the young man. "I hear them rowing away. They have deserted you."
"I am glad of it," said Jed. "I don't want anything more to do with them. Will you tell me if that box contains anything valuable?"
"Probably the contents are worth five thousand dollars."
"Is it possible!" ejaculated Jed in amazement.
"You see you have lost quite a prize," said the young man, eyeing him closely.
"Don't say that I have lost a prize," returned Jed half indignantly. "I supposed the man who sent me for it was honest."
"What did he tell you?"
"He said that the box belonged to a friend, who had employed him to get it."
"All a lie! I am the owner of the box, and the yacht also, and I have no acquaintance with your principal. If I had not been here he would have got a rich prize."
"I am glad you were here," said Jed earnestly.
"I don't understand your connection with such a man. How much were you to be paid for your services?"
"Two dollars," answered Jed.
"Didn't it strike you as singular that you should have been employed on such an errand?"
"Well, a little; but I am a stranger to the city, and I thought it might be because I was inexperienced."
"Do you mind telling me how long you have known the person who employed you?"
"I met him for the first time at five o'clock this afternoon on the Battery. He asked me if I wanted a job, and that is how I came to be engaged."
"That sounds plausible and I am inclined to believe you."
At this moment they were interrupted. There was a sound of oars, and leaving the cabin, Jed and his companion saw the boat of the harbor police under the side. It had in tow the boat in which Jed had come from shore.
"Was there any attempt to rob the yacht?" asked the captain of police.
"Yes, sir," answered the owner.
"Have you one of the thieves aboard?"
"No, sir."
"That's not true!" said the sallow-faced man, now a prisoner. "That boy came with us," and he pointed to Jed.
"Is that true?" asked the police captain.
"This boy was sent on board by the thieves, but he was quite ignorant of the character of his employer. He is a country boy, and was an innocent agent of the guilty parties."
"You are convinced then of his innocence?"
"Entirely so."
"We shall need his evidence against these men. Will you guarantee that it shall be forthcoming?"
"Yes, captain. I will give my name and his, and will call at your office to-morrow morning."
"That will answer."
The young man took out one of his cards, bearing the name of Schuyler Roper, and wrote Jed's name, which he had ascertained, underneath.
"You will be responsible for the boy's appearance, Mr. Roper?" said the officer respectfully, reading the name by the light of a lantern.
"Yes; he will stay with me."
This seemed satisfactory, and the boat rowed away.
"I am very much obliged to you for believing in my innocence, Mr. Roper," said Jed earnestly.
"You have an innocent face," responded the young man kindly. "I am sure you are a good boy."
"I hope you won't see any reason to doubt it. I am afraid I am putting you to trouble," continued Jed, realizing that he could not leave the yacht, and was thrown on the hospitality of the owner.
"Not at all. I can accommodate you easily. You must be tired, if you have been about the city all day."
Jed admitted that he was. In fact he felt very tired, and found it hard work to keep his eyes open.
"I have sleeping accommodations for six persons on board my yacht, so that I can easily provide for you. So far from giving me trouble I shall be glad of your company, though I don't expect any more visitors to-night."
Mr. Roper pointed out a comfortable bunk, and Jed lost no time in taking possession of it. He sank into a deep sleep, which was only broken by a gentle shake from his young host. As he opened his eyes, and they met the unusual surroundings, he was at first bewildered.
"Don't you know where you are?" asked Schuyler Roper, smiling. "Don't you remember boarding my yacht with felonious intent last night?"
"Yes," answered Jed with an answering smile. "I remember that I was taken prisoner."
"Then you are subject to my orders. When I am on a cruise we have meals aboard the yacht, but I am not keeping house now. If you will assist me, we'll direct our course to land and find breakfast somewhere."
Jed did not know much about a yacht, but he liked the water and proved very quick in comprehension, so that in a comparatively short time they had reached the Battery. Here Mr. Roper found two men whom he had engaged to help man the yacht, and leaving the Juno in their charge he walked up Broadway with Jed.
"We will take breakfast at the Astor House," he said.
"I dined there yesterday," replied Jed.
"You did!" exclaimed the other in a tone of surprise. "Yet you tell me you are penniless?"
"Yes, sir, but I fell in with a gentleman whom I knew at Sea Spray, a Mr. Foster."
"Not Howell Foster?"
"Yes."
"I know him very well. If he is a friend of yours, I shall feel that I am justified in reposing confidence in you."
Just then Mr. Foster entered the room.
"Good morning, Jed," he said in a friendly tone. "So you like the Astor well enough to come back?"
"I am here by invitation of Mr. Roper."
Mr. Foster, who was shortsighted, now for the first time observed Jed's companion.
"So you know Roper, too?" he said. "Why, he's one of my closest friends. When did you pick him up, Schuyler?"
"I caught him boarding my yacht on a marauding expedition last night," said Roper, smiling.
"Bless my soul! What do you mean?"
"Sit down and take breakfast with us, and I will explain."
"And what are you going to do with this desperate young man?" asked the broker at the end of the story.
"I shall invite him to accompany me to Bar Harbor on my yacht. But first we must call on the harbor police, as our testimony will be needed to convict the rascals who came near robbing me of five thousand dollars' worth of valuables."
CHAPTER XXX.
JED ENTERTAINS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE
Though the trial of the harbor thieves was expedited, it was a week before Jed and Mr. Roper were able to leave New York. Jed's testimony settled the matter, and the two thieves were sentenced to terms of five years' imprisonment.
"I'll get even with you yet, young fellow!" muttered the sallow-faced man, eyeing Jed with deep malignity as he left the witness-box.
"Where is your trunk?" asked Mr. Roper after their first visit to the office of the harbor police.
"I never owned one, Mr. Roper."
"Your valise, then."
"It is at a small hotel near the Battery."
"Get it and bring it on board the yacht."
Jed did so, and Mr. Roper asked to see it.
"You are poorly equipped, Jed," he said. "That reminds me that if I am going to monopolize your services I must pay you some salary. How will fifty dollars a month answer?"
"But, Mr. Roper, I can't earn as much as that."
"Perhaps not, but if I am willing to pay it, you can set your mind at rest. I will see that you are better provided with clothing, undergarments, et cetera. Here, give me a piece of paper."
Mr. Roper drew up a list of articles which he thought Jed might need—a very liberal list, by the way—and sent him with a note to his own tradesmen, with directions to supply him with such articles as he might select. He also gave him an order on his own tailor for a suit of clothes.
"But, Mr. Roper, it will take me a long time to pay for all these out of my wages," protested Jed.
Schuyler Roper laughed.
"My dear boy," he said, "I haven't the least idea of making you pay for them. Just look upon me as your older brother, who is able and willing to provide for you."
"I am deeply grateful to you, Mr. Roper," responded Jed earnestly. "I certainly stumbled into luck when I boarded your yacht."
"I don't know how it is," said Roper, as he eyed Jed thoughtfully, "you didn't seem a stranger to me even when I first saw you. It seemed natural for me to look after you. I am an only son, and you never knew what it was to have a brother. I begin to think that I have lost a great deal in being so much alone."
"You may be deceived in me, Mr. Roper. You know very little of me, and that is not at all to my advantage."
"Well, I admit that, Jed. Considering that I caught you in the act of robbing me, I may be said to have known you at your worst."
"You know nothing of my past life."
"You shall tell me all about it after a while, when we are not so busy."
Meanwhile Jed became familiar with his duties on board the yacht, and during the absence of Mr. Roper was regarded by the men as his representative.
No one could have treated him with more generous confidence than his new friend. Jed was intrusted at times with considerable sums for disbursements, and was proud of the confidence reposed in him. Of Mr. Roper, except that he appeared to be a rich young man, he knew next to nothing, till one day he fell in with his watering-place friend, Howell Foster.
"You are still with Schuyler?" he asked.
"Oh yes, sir. I am going with him to Bar Harbor."
"And then?"
"I believe he means to keep me with him."
"You are in luck. Schuyler is a generous, open-hearted young man, liberal to a fault, and ready to do anything for one he takes to. I suppose you know that he is rich?"
"I thought he must be."
"His father died two years since, leaving him half a million of dollars. He spends freely, but does not squander his money. He is paying for the college education of a poor boy in whom he feels an interest—the son of an old bookkeeper of his father's—as I happen to know. He is a favorite in society, but has never shown an inclination to marry."
"Is his mother living?" asked Jed.
"No; she died before his father. He is very much alone in the world."
"That is why he is so generous to me, I think."
"Perhaps so, but it is his nature to be kind. By the way, Jed, when my family comes back from Sea Spray I would like to have you call upon us. We live on Madison Avenue."
"Thank you, Mr. Foster. If I am in New York I shall be glad to do so."
"I begin to think I am getting into society," thought Jed. "It is not over three months since I left the Scranton poorhouse, and here I am adopted by one rich man and welcomed at the house of another."
It was natural that Jed should feel elated by his good luck. But he was not allowed to forget his early adversity, for on the fourth day after entering the service of Mr. Roper he met on Broadway, just above Chambers Street, his old enemy, Percy Dixon.
Percy was the first to recognize him.
"Oh it's you, is it?" he said in considerable surprise.
Jed smiled. He felt that he could afford to disregard Percy's impertinence.
"My dear friend Percy," he said. "How well you remember me!"
"Yes, I remember you, and so does Mr. Fogson of the Scranton poorhouse."
"Remember me to the kind old man!" said Jed comically.
"How soon are you going back?"
"Not very soon. Of course it would be pleasant to me to be able to see you every day, Percy, but–"
"You needn't flatter yourself that I would take any notice of you. What are you doing for a living?"
"I am going yachting in a few days."
"What! Oh, I understand. You have hired out as a sailor."
"Well no, not exactly."
"What yacht are you working on?"
"Perhaps you would like to visit it?"
"Yes, I would," said Percy, feeling puzzled and curious.
"Come to the Battery with me, then. We'd better board the next car."
Percy followed Jed into a Broadway car, and Jed, to his surprise, paid the fare.
"I was going to pay the fare," said Percy.
"Oh never mind!" returned Jed carelessly.
"I don't want to put you to expense."
"Oh! it's not worth minding."
Arrived at the Battery, Jed called a boatman and said, "Row me out to the Juno, beyond Governor's Island."
Jed leaned back in the boat, and Percy stared at him in wonder. When they reached the yacht one of the men produced a ladder, and Jed led the way on board.
"Any orders, Mr. Gilman?" asked the sailor respectfully.
"No, Kimball; I haven't seen Mr. Roper since morning, and don't know if he wants anything done."
"Do you think you can spare me to go on shore for a couple of hours?"
"Yes, you may go."
Jed went to the side and said to the boatman, "You may take this man on shore, and come back in an hour and a half for my friend and myself.
"Now, Percy, allow me to offer you a little refreshment."
Jed went to the pantry and brought out some cold meat, bread and butter, and two bottles of ginger ale, with the necessary dishes.
"I can't offer you anything very tempting," he said, "but the boat ride may have given you an appetite for plain fare."
Percy could hardly conceal his surprise. He stared at Jed as if fascinated.
"Won't you get into trouble by making so free with your master's things?"
"Who told you I had a master?"
"Who owns this yacht?"
"Mr. Schuyler Roper."
"He must be rich."
"I hear that he is worth half a million dollars," said Jed in an off-hand manner.