Bracebridge Hemyng

“ An hour's work made the grave deep enough for the body, and reverentially he laid it in.
When he had filled it up with earth he sought for stones and piled a rough cairn over all that remained of the once haughty and spoiled child, Harold.
Dropping a tear over the grave, Smithers struck the oxen with the whip, and the heavy wagon rolled sluggishly on toward Silver City. ”

“ Smithers was silent.
"What!" cried the robber, angrily; "will you not purchase your life and your property at so cheap a price?"
"I want my wife, whom you have no right to detain. Take all I have, and give me her!" exclaimed Smithers.
"By your own admission, all you are entitled to are these children," said the captain. "Do you comply with my conditions, or shall I shoot you where you stand?"
"No, no!" exclaimed Smithers, shrinking back from the uplifted pistol. "Life is sweet! life is precious!" ”

“ It is very good of you to do all this for me, Tommy. I had no right to expect it, for I always treated you badly."
"Mother always taught me to forgive my enemies," answered Tommy; "and, of course, I could not expect you to like me so well as Harold and Alice." ”

“ In a short time the ship's course was altered, and Tommy, who had caught hold of Bobsey's right arm, was under the lee gangway.
"Lower a boat there," commanded the officer. "Lower away lively, my lads."
"Carambo!" cried the captain, rousing himself at last, "who is commander here?"
"When you so far forget yourself as you have done," replied Boston Charley, eying him sternly, "it becomes the duty of every man in the ship to let you know that they no longer regard you as their captain." ”

“ The famous detective Berghausen, and here in my hand is a warrant for the arrest of Smithers for robbing his employers in New York."
Thompson bit his lips and frowned darkly, as if his mind was ill at ease.
"I ought to kill Berghausen," he said, as if talking to himself. "It is the only way to play a safe game, but if I ride after him I may miss the silver, and not have a chance of such a stake again." ”

“ The first officer of the Eliza Jane put his hands in his pockets, and spit out a chew of tobacco.
"Do you know what cabin boys' pay is?" he asked.
"No, sir," replied Bobsey.
"It's more kicks than half pence, and if you like to take that I'll ship you."
"Thank you, sir," cried Tommy, eagerly. "I only want to get to Jersey City."
"What!" cried the man, "are you a Yankee boy?"
"You can bet I am."
"Shake on that, sonny," cried the officer. "I'm glad to meet a countryman, if he is young and out of luck."
"Do you come from Jersey City?" inquired Tommy. ”

“ Entering the city through a spacious street which was named Broadway, he then halted his wagon.
A man of tall stature and cadaverous cast of countenance, who was lounging in front of a saloon, with his hands in his pockets and a cigar in his mouth, approached the wagon, eyed it critically, and then regarded Smithers with an inquisitive air.
"Born East, I calculate, stranger?" he said.
"Yes," replied Smithers.
"I'm glad to make your acquaintance. I'm Maj. Allston, and well known in this town." ”

“ The deck was soon deserted by the few who had remained up to the last minute to enjoy the breeze and get an appetite for dinner.
A lad about sixteen came up to Tommy and exclaimed:
"Now, then, captain, you'd best be going below to get your grub."
"Thank you," replied Tommy, rubbing his eyes. "I'm not hungry, only miserable."
"How's that?"
The lad was fair-haired, blue-eyed and good-natured, if his face could be trusted, and he stared curiously at Tommy.
"Are you saloon or steerage?" he asked; "because, if you're steerage, you'll get bounced if you come this side of that rope." ”

“ My only idea in smuggling the tobacco was that I should have a little spending money when I reached home, and not look poor."
"Are your friends well off?"
"Tolerably. Father is a professor, and keeps quite a fashionable boarding school for young gentlemen in London."
"And you mean to go back?"
"Yes. I'll return to Greek and algebra, and learn all I can. Seeing the world is all very well, but it doesn't pay when you can do better at home," answered Wild Charley.
"That's so," answered Tommy, still hesitating. ”

“ Tommy was invited in, and given a seat. He related his adventures, but owing to a whisper from Wild Charley, did not say anything about the smuggling. They all listened to him with great attention, and admitted that his coming to Mr. Floyd's was very remarkable.
"My young friend," exclaimed Rev. C. Floyd, "your wanderings serve to show that there is a higher power which watches over the most insignificant of us. I will turn no houseless wanderer from my door; nay, I will even offer you employment."
"How can I thank you, sir?" said Tommy, his eyes overflowing with tears. ”

“ Dogs have as much right here as children," replied Miss Jones.
"That remark does not apply to me, as I have left all my precious ones at home; but I will maintain that the butcher's shop is the place for dogs. Boy, go to the purser, and say that I wish this brute taken away."
"Certainly, ma'am," answered Tommy.
The ladies glared at one another, and Tommy sought the purser, who was in his cabin.
"Well, what do you want?" he asked.
"Say, sir, what am I to do with Miss Jones' dog? Mrs. Stocker says——"
"Oh! hang the dog!" replied the purser, impatiently. "I've heard all that before. ”

“ Seizing Wild Charley's hand, he pressed it cordially, saying:
"Oh, please do this for me. I will be so thankful."
"What's your name?"
"Tommy Smithers. They call me Soft Tommy sometimes, because I get things kinder mixed up now and then."
"I should guess you were soft when you let the ship slip from her moorings and take you across to the other side. Why, what on earth are you to do when you reach Liverpool?"
"Work my passage back, I suppose."
"Not so easily done as said," answered Charley. "You don't meet with a good-natured fellow like me every day." ”

“ CHAPTER VI. THE CONFIDENCE GAME.
"You never were a good man," said Mrs. Smithers, looking down at the floor and moving her foot restlessly, "but I didn't think you would have become so bad as you have. However, I shall have to make a compromise with you. Name your terms."
"Now you're talking," answered Thompson, with a smile of satisfaction. "In the first place, I want all the money and jewelry you can lay your hands on. You can say the house was robbed."
"Yes, you shall have all," Mrs. Smithers replied.
"Secondly, I must have Tommy." ”

“ For a while he looked over the ship's side into the starlit night. All at once a steamer was discovered going west.
The captain was on the bridge with the second officer.
"We'll signal that steamer," he exclaimed. "Send below for the usual lights."
"Ay, ay, sir," replied the mate.
He left the bridge, and, seeing Tommy, said:
"Are you one of the ship's boys?"
"Yes, sir," replied Tommy, touching his cap.
"Go to the quartermaster, and ask him for the ordinary signals."
"The what, sir?"
"Quartermaster, you fool! and hurry up!" shouted the officer. ”

“ Following out this train of thought Tommy turned round again and walked toward Silver City. It was quite late in the day when he arrived there, but he soon found Mr. Smithers, and told him all the sad news.
"But this is not all," said Tommy. "You are in danger of——"
"Of what?"
"Arrest. The detective, Berghausen, is in this city looking for you, and you may expect him here at any moment. Your only safety is instant flight." ”

“ Tommy had dropped off into a deep slumber, but Charley Barker was awake.
"No, Tony; it's me, Charley Barker. You know me, don't you?" he replied.
"Why, certainly. But why ain't I in my own house? What has happened? I'm so sore all over."
"You got hurt when the people at the lecture had a scare, and Swanny and I thought you'd be best here."
"Does mother know?"
"Oh, yes! Try and get to sleep, there's a good little fellow. Swanny will be here good and early in the morning." ”

“ The street is alive with people. I'm ruined!" exclaimed the doctor.
Bobsey and Tommy looked blankly at one another. No one spoke.
If the doctor was caught with the evidence of his guilt on the table before him, the people would believe him to be a body snatcher, and perhaps handle him roughly.
Tommy had made one of his charming blunders again. But an idea struck him.
"I'd know what I'd do, sir," he said.
"What?" eagerly demanded the doctor.
"I'd put the body in Miss Minks' bed."
"Happy thought; she's downstairs, and will suspect nothing. We'll do it," said the doctor. ”

“ Smithers was very fond of his own two children, Harold Stamford and Alice Regina, both of whom he spoiled dreadfully.
One was eleven, the other ten, and they were as disagreeable, self-willed and conceited as overindulgence could make them.
Perhaps Smithers had a stepfather's dislike for Tommy.
One thing is certain, he frequently beat him and rarely said a word to the others.
Mrs. Smithers always looked sad and worried, which was no wonder, as she had to put up with a great deal from her husband. ”

“ The major and Smithers had kept the gaming room open till four o'clock, and then went to bed.
Passing through the city he walked over the prairie until he came within sight of the Dead Snake Canyon.
Scarcely had he entered the valley than he was surprised to hear the voice of Capt. Jordan.
"Welcome, my lad," he cried. "Your mother is waiting to see you. Follow me."
A winding path conducted them to the entrance to the cavern in which the robber lived.
In a rude vault, illuminated by the rays of the sun, Tommy saw Mrs. Smithers seated on a roughly made chair, with Alice by her side. ”

“ Mrs. Smithers rejoined. "You oughtn't to blame him for that; as he grows older he'll know better."
"I doubt it, ma'am. I doubt it very much," replied her husband, seating himself before the stove.
Mr. Smithers was a tall, consequential man, in the prime of life, dark in complexion and not bad looking.
His wife was a widow when he married her, and she had one son, the Tommy of whom Smithers was now complaining.
Our friend was commonly called "Soft" Tommy, on account of the simplicity of his nature and the numerous mistakes he was constantly making. ”

“ Still, they are not on a par with us, and if your first husband was a mechanic and left you with an only child, an infant at that, to go and work and die in the Nevada mines, I am not supposed to share your tastes."
"Poor man," said Mrs. Smithers, "there was no work [Pg 11] for him here. He thought he would do so much better for all of us out West. He promised to send for me and Tommy soon."
"Well, he died, and he couldn't help it," put in Smithers, who was in a bad temper.
"We can't always do what we propose; and Thompson, my dear, dear first husband, was as good as they make them." ”

“ Tommy nodded his head, as if he quite comprehended the warning.
[Pg 33]
He walked sadly away, and Charley, in time, with some difficulty, got Swanny home.
The state of affairs at home can be easily imagined—a hysterical mother, a father frenzied with grief, one little bed empty, its occupant gone forever, and the house of mourning, desolation and despair. ”

“ The doctor's eyes flashed fire, and his cork leg seemed to quiver with indignation.
"You rascal!" he exclaimed. "Do you want to ruin me? Have you no knowledge of the usages of good society? Does a gentleman ever expect a lady to pay for the presents he makes her?"
"I did my best, sir."
"Did your worst, you mean. Sit in that chair while I get the leeches."
Tommy sank into the chair, and Dr. Slasher tied a piece of rope round him, which rendered it impossible for him to move.
In a glass vase were kept the leeches, a couple of which the doctor took out, putting one on each of the boy's cheeks. ”

“ It was [Pg 36] worse than a nightmare, or anything that can be produced by physical suffering.
It was the fear that he was going to be buried alive—that, in fact, he was already nailed up in his casket and on his way to the silent tomb.
"That fixes it," he heard Mr. Barker say. "Now I'll go to bed."
"Mr. Bar-Barker," Tommy strove to say, but his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth.
The words died on his lips.
A dizziness came over him, his head seemed to swim, and he lost consciousness.
The undertaker had nailed him in the coffin, and he was alone with the dead. ”

“ Bobsey said. "I don't want to offend you."
Tommy was as good as his word, for he worked hard that night with the auger, and made at least a dozen holes in various parts of the surgery floor.
The next day Dr. Slasher had occasion to find fault with Tommy, who was not making the pills the proper shape.
"You've got the mold," said the doctor, "why don't you turn them out properly?"
"If you don't like my way, do it yourself," replied Tommy.
"What!" cried the doctor; "getting impudent, are you? I'll have to give you a dose of salts and senna, young man." ”

“ He felt that if he was compelled to undergo any unusual exertion, the buttons would fly off like bullets from a rifle when the trigger falls.
"Shall I do?" he asked.
"First-rate," replied Bobsey. "You looks a A No. 1 Buttons, and no mistake."
Tommy hastened upstairs to answer the ringing of the bell, which summoned him to the parlor where Mr. and Mrs. Floyd were seated, the young gentlemen being in the schoolroom indulging in half an hour's conversational recreation before prayers, which preceded their retirement to their dormitories. ”