Jr. Horatio Alger

“ A TIMELY RESCUE. Mark Manning left the cabin and made his way as quickly as possible to the edge of the wood. He hadn't got over his wonder at the hermit's commission and singular confidence in him.
"It seems strange," he said to himself, "to have so much money in my pocket. Nearly thirty dollars! I wonder whether I shall ever have as much of my own?"
In truth, thirty dollars seemed a much larger sum to our hero, brought up in a hand to hand struggle with poverty, than it would have appeared if he had been ten years older. ”

“ They were not near enough to hear what passed between Mark and Anthony, but they saw the gold coins which the boy passed to his employer. Then they saw the dirt replaced, and the spot made to look as before.
When Mark and Anthony had gone, they emerged from their hiding-place, eager and excited.
"Well," said James, drawing a long breath, "we've found the hermit's secret. He must be a miser. I wonder how much more gold there is in the hole."
"Thousands of dollars, very likely," said Tom, who had a vivid imagination. "You know it doesn't take a very big pile of gold to make a thousand dollars." ”

“ He is well able to take care of his grandson, if he could find him."
"I wish I could tell you more, I am sure," said Mrs. Finn heartily. "If the poor boy yet lives, Heaven knows what his condition may be. If you could find the man that took him away——"
"I can," answered Mark.
"Then why don't you go to him, and ask him where to find the child?"
"Because it is against his interests to have him found. He and the little boy are the only heirs to the grandfather's property. His uncle has good reason to dislike him, and if the boy is found, Lyman Taylor will get nothing, I feel sure." ”

“ A man more utterly unworthy I have never known."
"Come, Uncle Anthony, isn't that a little strong. I am no angel——"
"You are a worthless scoundrel," said the hermit bitterly.
"Look here, old man," said his nephew fiercely, "I didn't come here to be insulted and called bad names. Considering that you are alone and in my power, it is a little impertinent in you to talk in that way. I might kill you."
"You are quite capable of it," said Anthony. "Do so, if you choose. Life is not a possession that I greatly prize." ”

“ Mark did so.
Just as he was leaving the ticket-window, his former employer, Mr. Collins, the shoe manufacturer, took his place.
"Are you going to the city?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Who goes with you?"
"Mr. Taylor."
"Mr. Taylor?"
"The—the hermit."
"Oh!" returned the manufacturer, arching his brows, "are you working for him?"
"Yes, sir."
"You might have been working for me, if you had behaved yourself."
"I am satisfied with the change," answered Mark.
"That boy is impertinent," soliloquized the village magnate. "He can't get much pay from a pauper. However, it serves him right. ”

“ Luckily for John, Mark Manning was on his way to call upon the hermit, when he became an indignant witness of James's brutality. He said nothing, but fairly flew across the pasture till he reached the battle-field. The first intimation James had of his presence was a vigorous grasp of his coat collar, and in an instant he was lying on his back close to his late victim, with Mark standing over him.
"I'm ashamed of you, James Collins," he said, sternly. "You're a contemptible coward to attack a smaller boy like Johnny." ”

“ Mark felt that he could do no better in his brief stay in Chicago than walk about, and make himself familiar with the principal streets and avenues, and gain some knowledge of the western metropolis.
He kept his eyes wide open, and noticed all that came in his way. Everywhere throngs of busy wayfarers, and not one of whom he had ever seen before. It seemed strange to him, for in Pocasset he knew everybody.
"The world is larger than I thought," he reflected, "and there are more people in it. I wish I could see one familiar face." ”

“ Old Anthony was taken by surprise, and showed it.
"So you know this? Where did you obtain the information?" he asked.
"From some one who saw you and the boy, Mark, digging for it."
"Well," said the old man, quietly, "I know of no better place. People are honest round here, and it will not be taken."
"I agree with you there, Uncle Anthony. It won't be taken for a very good reason. There is none there. The jar is empty."
"How do you know this, Lyman?" demanded the hermit, with a searching look.
Lyman hesitated, but it seemed necessary to tell the truth. ”

“ You see I know what they call me in the village."
"Yes. I shall be willing and glad to do anything for you."
"You are a good boy. What is your name?"
"Mark Manning."
"I know who you are. Your mother is a widow."
"Yes."
"And poor."
"We have little money, but we have never wanted for food."
"You work for your mother?"
"Yes; I am employed in the shoe factory."
"A good son will make a good man. You will never repent what you are doing for your mother."
"No; I am sure I shall not," returned Mark, warmly. "I ought not, for she has done everything for me." ”

“ MARK RECEIVES A TELEGRAM. "My good friend," said Mr. Hardy, "have you any reason to think your nephew's statement is to be relied upon?"
"I hope so," answered Anthony. "I am getting to be an old man, and I should like to feel that some one of my own blood would survive me, and profit by a part of the competence which God has bestowed upon me."
"It may be simply a money-making scheme on the part of Lyman," said the agent, thoughtfully. "Finding that he has little chance of becoming your heir, he wants to secure a handsome reward for restoring to you your grandson. ”

“ I am his only relative, and though he is prejudiced against me, I can't help feeling anxious about his health. Can you tell me anything about him?"
"He has that boy, Mark Manning, about him all the time."
"What can be the boy's object in keeping company with a poor old man, who has no way of rewarding him?"
"I am not so sure about that," said James.
"About what?" asked Lyman, quickly.
"About his being poor."
"Have you any reason to think my uncle has money?" asked Lyman, eagerly, fixing a sharp glance of inquiry on the speaker. ”

“ I was crossing the pasture, and was attracted by the poor animal's moans. That is the way I happened to be near when you came up."
"That all sounds very smooth," said the deacon, impatiently, "but if you didn't shoot the cow, who did?"
"I think that question can be answered, Deacon Miller; John Downie!"
To the deacon's surprise, John came into the room at this summons.
"Johnny," said Mark, "will you tell the deacon who shot his cow!"
"I don't like to tell," objected John; "it wasn't done on purpose."
"Did you do it?" queried the deacon, sharply.
"No, sir. I never fired a gun in my life." ”

“ Boy, what is your name?"
"Mark Manning."
"Well, Mark, as you appear to be in charge of my uncle, I shall be glad to have you write me if anything happens to him. As his nearest relative and heir, I ought to be notified."
Mark looked to the hermit for directions.
"Give him your address, Lyman," said Anthony. "If there is any news to interest you, he shall write. But don't calculate on my speedy death. It is hardly likely to benefit you." ”

“ Lyman Taylor is again within the walls of a penitentiary, having forged a check upon a well-known merchant of Chicago; and old Peggy, taking Jack's place, is to be seen any day on Clark or State streets, with a basket of matches, which she makes an excuse for appealing to the charity of passers by. Her face is growing redder and redder, as her potations increase, and she will probably end her career in a hospital or alms-house. ”

“ Tom had two or three times cautioned him on this very afternoon, but James did not receive his remonstrance in good part.
"Don't trouble yourself so much about my gun, Tom Wyman," he said. "I guess I know how to carry my gun as well as you do."
"I don't doubt that in the least, James, but you must admit that you handle it rather carelessly. Some of the boys don't like to go hunting with you."
"Then they are cowards. I never shot any boy yet," answered James, with some heat.
"No, but you might."
"You are making a great deal of fuss about nothing. ”

“ Mark walked home with a slow step. He dreaded to tell his mother of his discharge, for he knew that she would be still more depressed than himself. Youth is hopeful, but middle age is less sanguine.
"I won't go home at once," thought Mark. "I will go to the wood and see the hermit. He may have some errand for me, and besides, he may be able to give me some advice."
One object which Mark had, however, was to delay breaking the unwelcome news to his mother.
He bent his steps towards the pasture, which he must cross in order to penetrate to the wood by the usual path. ”

“ Lyman Taylor regarded James shrewdly, he had no difficulty in detecting the boy's dislike towards Mark.
"Excuse my troubling you with questions, young gentlemen," he said. "My uncle is a simple-minded old man, and it would be easy to rob him, though I fancy he hasn't much money. This boy Mark appeared to me an artful young rogue, who might very probably cheat him out of the small sum he has."
"I never saw the two together," said Tom, musingly. "Old Anthony has generally paid his bills himself." ”

“ MARK AT HOME. Mark's home was a small cottage of a story and a half, surmounted by a sloping roof. It was plainly furnished, but looked comfortable. His mother was a pleasant looking woman of middle age, who managed well their scanty income, consisting chiefly of Mark's earnings.
"Are you not later than usual, Mark?" she inquired.
"Yes, mother; I went out gunning, and did an errand for old Anthony, who is laid up with the rheumatism in his cabin."
"Poor man! I hope he won't suffer."
"Thanks to me, he probably will not."
"What can you do for him, Mark? You have no money to spare." ”

“ I always call her Aunt Peggy."
"It's the very boy!" was Lyman's exulting thought. "I'm in luck at last. Lyman, old man, your plans are going to be realized."
"Were you ever called Jack?" he asked, anxiously.
"Yes; that's what Aunt Peggy calls me. Other people call me Johnny."
"My boy," said Lyman, fervently, "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. I am sure now you are my little cousin. Where does Peggy live?"
The match boy named the place—a poor street in a poor neighborhood. ”

“ The boy's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"I should like nothing better," he said.
"The commission will be to trace out Mr. Taylor's daughter, and find out whether she left a child. Necessary instructions will be given in writing."
"Do you think I am old enough?" asked Mark, excited but doubtful whether he was competent for the duty assigned him.
"Discretion is more needful than age," answered Mr. Hardy. "Perhaps an older messenger would be better, but as my friend wishes to avoid publicity, he is disposed to try you. Would your mother be willing to have you go?" ”

“ Few persons think themselves unfit to be trusted with money. What he thought of his own honesty can only be conjectured. Probably he did not regard himself with the eyes of those who knew him.
Such thoughts were passing through the mind of the hermit's nephew, as he was traveling from New York to Pocasset. Arrived at the depot, he set out for the village at a brisk pace.
Presently he espied in advance of him a couple of boys, whose figures looked familiar. It did not take him long to recall the two boys he had met in the pasture on his former visit. Of course they were James and Tom. ”

“ There was one thing, however, that seemed clear to Lyman. His uncle must still have a comfortable property, or he would not be able to send a messenger to St. Louis in search of his lost grandson.
"The old man may have twenty thousand dollars, for aught I know," reflected Lyman; "and doesn't spend the income of half that as he lives now. No doubt that country boy has an inkling of it, and is planning to get hold of it. That boy is foxy, and knows what he is about, I'll be bound." ”

“ Don't dissuade me, for the thought of doing something for him gives me a new interest in life."
"I shall not dissuade you, Anthony, for I believe the boy to be all that you say. Of course if you had a blood relation who was deserving, I might make an objection. Has this boy relations?"
"Only a mother, who is mainly dependent upon him. By the way, have you invested the sum paid in lately?"
"No; but I have an application for it, or I should say, for four-fifths of it. Curiously, the applicant lives in this town."
"Who is it?"
"Collins, the shoe manufacturer." ”

“ Shall you take him to Pocasset?"
"I don't think I can do better. He will need a woman's care, and I know of no one who will prove kinder than Mrs. Manning."
"She has this in her favor at any rate. She has brought up her own boy well. But will the house be large or comfortable enough?"
"I am not very particular for myself. You will judge that when you remember the cabin in the woods, where I spent several years. The house is small, however, but there is another vacant, much larger and handsomer, which I can buy or rent, already furnished. ”

“ It did not look very likely that a rich man, or even one moderately well-to-do, would voluntarily make his home in a poor cabin, like that which old Anthony occupied.
Lyman began to fear that his uncle had managed to lose by bad investments the money he had obtained from the claims, and was really as poor as appearances would seem to indicate.
"Are you livin' in this hotel?" asked the miner.
"I'm not living anywhere in particular," answered Lyman. "Fact is, I'm rather down on my luck. There are no 'piles' to be made in New York." ”

“ He was fond of money, scarcely less so than Deacon Miller himself, and it went to his heart to find himself so much poorer than before.
"It isn't as if I got any fun out of it," he complained to Tom. "It's just money thrown away."
"It is a heavy sum to pay for a trifling carelessness," admitted Tom.
"And I shouldn't have had a cent to pay but for John Downie. Why need the boy turn tell-tale?" ”

“ Manning, "will supply the place of your own mother."
"I will sell matches for you, if you want me to, grandfather. I didn't like working for Peggy, but I will work for you."
"My dear Jack, instead of working you must go to school, and learn all you can. When you are grown up, it will be time for you to work."
It soon became noised about that the little boy, who was seen about the village with Mark, was the hermit's grandson. But the grandson of old Anthony was not considered a very important person, and only excited passing interest. ”