Jr. Horatio Alger

“ Sharp that through the bad way in which your money was invested when it came into his hands, the whole has melted away, and you are a beggar.”
“Not quite,” said Tom proudly. “I may be poor, but no one will ever see me beg.”
“You’ll have to earn your own living,” said Mrs. Middleton spitefully. “You won’t find it for your interest to turn up your nose at your victuals.”
“I am more likely to turn up my nose at the want of them—as to-night,” answered Tom.
“You’ll be lucky if you always fare as well.”
“Perhaps so. Will you tell me, Mr. Middleton, if my whole fortune is gone? Is nothing left?” ”

“ At the point where Jud put out in a boat, it was safe to paddle across, but he had been so absorbed in his hunt for the stag, that he forgot all about the falls until it was too late to extricate himself.
Curious thoughts often come to a person when in such extremity. Jud saw the dugout bobbing up and down like the cork of a fishing line, until it vanished from sight. He wondered how many times it would turn over, and whether it was possible for it to keep upright, and in case it was not capsized what would become of his fine rifle? ”

“ As you can’t expect anything better than a common home when you are grown up, it would be better that you should prepare for it in a boarding-school than to become accustomed to luxury in my father’s house.”
“You are extremely considerate, Imogene,” said Mary. “I suppose I ought to feel grateful to you for thinking so much about what would be best for me.”
“I don’t expect any gratitude from you, miss,” retorted Imogene, “though my papa does board you and pay all your bills.”
“Tom must feel very much interested in our conversation,” said Mary, flushing with mortification. ”

“ Armstrong to look up the clerk who had absconded with so large a sum of money, and precipitated his downfall. All that he had done to redeem this promise was to watch the persons whom he met, and notice their personal peculiarities, in the hope some day of identifying Samuel Lincoln.
But as yet no one had been seen at all corresponding to the merchant’s description.
“What more can I do? What more ought I to do?” thought Tom. “If I only knew, I would do it. But it may be that this is really a wild-goose chase. There seems as little chance of finding this man as of finding a needle in a haymow.” ”

“ Armstrong.”
“That is enough,” said the captain. “Though you are only a boy, there is something about you that I can trust. You understand business. You have gone to the root of the matter without any unnecessary words. I will confide in you, and in so confiding I put my life in your hands.”
Tom listened with surprise. He could not understand what was coming.
The captain proceeded:
“You know me as the captain of a band of robbers, but you do not understand that I have in a manner been forced into my position. I don’t like the life I am leading. ”

“ To judge by Tom’s reception, all the Davenports were very fond of him. And yet the day before they would have vied with one another in speaking contemptuously of him. But then he was supposed to be poor. Now he was master of one fortune, and heir to another. It is only the way of the world.
There was one of the family whom Tom was really glad to meet, and that was Mary Somers, to whom he paid much more attention than to Imogene, greatly to the latter’s disgust. Poor Mary had to submit to more than one covert sneer, but Tom paid his chief attention to her for all that. ”

“ When Tom had gone the luckless Mary had to undergo another attack.
“I should be ashamed to lay myself out to attract attention as you do, Mary,” said her amiable cousin.
“Who says I have?”
“I say so. It is really sickening to see how you try to attract Mr. Temple. You seem to forget that he is rich, or going to be, and that you will only be a poor governess.”
“I think it is mean, Imogene, to remind me of my poverty before strangers.” ”

“ I know enough German for that,” said Tom.
“I don’t know about that,” said the lieutenant gravely. “Is Katrine beautiful?”
“She was once,” said Johann. “She is now one fine woman.”
“And you will promise to help us in all our undertakings?”
“What will you have me to do?” asked the Teuton with returning intelligence.
“Stop travelers on the highway—make them give up their money—and if they won’t, shoot ’em,” said the lieutenant.
“You want me to be one robber!” exclaimed Herr Schmidt in horror, “and kill de people! I cannot do it. I am a good man. I am not a robber.” ”

“ James and Edwin, looking upon their companion as a young man of fortune, were very courteous and polite. Indeed it was hard to think of them as the same boys who had treated Tom so rudely the day before. Our hero was clear-sighted and understood very well the meaning of the change in their manners, but he took the world as he found it, and didn’t choose to quarrel with the respect which his wealth procured him. ”

“ Fire at me, and all your lives are sacrificed. Your triumph will be short.”
“Don’t shoot, Herr Gates,” said the Dutchman in an agony of apprehension. “I don’t want to die. What would become of Katrine and the Kinder?”
Gates was a sensible man. He saw that to fire would only be to throw away his own life and that of his companions. This he felt that he had no moral right to do.
“What shall I do?” he asked, turning to Morton.
“It’s useless to resist,” said the latter nervously.
“And what do you say, Tom?” ”

“ This had hitherto escaped the burglar’s attention, for the dark-lantern lighted up only a small part of the cellar, and left the rest in gloom. Supposing the door was found, and being bolted within, it could easily be opened and egress obtained, Tom would be in a perilous position. The burglar would again enter as he had done previously, and inflamed by anger, would not only take the gold, but perhaps kill our hero. ”

“ Now that you have assumed a man’s responsibilities, I hope you will give up your domineering spirit, and have a greater regard for the rights of others.”
“I mean to,” said Tom. “I think it has done me good to lose my fortune. I feel twice as old and twice as much confidence in myself as before.”
“That is well, but your success in life will depend largely upon the favorable impression you make upon others. If you still play the bully, you cannot expect to be liked.” ”

“ Sharp, laughing. “You generally do.”
“I’d like to get rich again just to turn the tables on them,” said Tom thoughtfully.
“You must take the world as you find it,” said the lawyer. “There are more selfish than unselfish people in it. But you musn’t jump to the conclusion that all men are mercenary.”
“I am sure they are not,” said Tom.
“Keep your confidence in human nature, my boy, and you will be happier. Don’t become a cynic. It would only make you unhappy. Besides it would be unjust to the large number of really excellent people, some of whom I hope you will meet. ”

“ Tom looked thoughtful.
“I am sixteen,” he said, “and my education is good, though it might be better. I have thought I should like to seek my fortune in the world.”
“Don’t decide hastily, Tom. Another year at school would do you good.”
“I know it, and I will take time to consider. But I must know more of the world first. Give me fifty dollars, and let me go to New York and look about me. It will keep me there a fortnight. During that time I will look around and decide how to spend the next year.”
“You have my consent, Tom,” said the lawyer. ”

“ Burton. I am not going to stay in San Francisco. I am going back to New York.”
“But I thought you were after some papers?” said his employer.
“I expect to take them back with me.”
“You have indeed been fortunate. How did you succeed?”
“I would tell you, but I am not at liberty, as it would involve another’s secret.”
“At all events, Tom, you have shown yourself a man of judgment. You have succeeded where many a man would have failed.”
“Perhaps I have,” said Tom; “and perhaps the fact of my being a boy has been in my favor. I can see myself how it has helped me.” ”

“ Tom took the money—it was in gold—with pride and pleasure. It was no novelty to him to have considerable money, but excepting the three dollars which he had received for carrying a bundle, this was the first money he had actually earned, and he felt pleased accordingly.
“Twenty dollars and my board for a week’s work!” he said to himself. “Now I really begin to feel that I am of some use in the world. It’s a good deal better than leading an idle life.” ”

“ In fact, the main wonder was, that in this lonely place there should be any building at all.
“Halt, gentlemen,” said the captain, “it is here that we stop.”
“Is this our hotel?” asked Tom lightly.
“Yes,” said the captain, relaxing his stern features with a smile. “Shall I announce to you the rules of this house?”
“What are they?”
“Payment in advance.”
Morton’s face changed, and the Dutchman looked unhappy.
“I hope your bill won’t be unreasonable,” said Gates.
“Not at all. We shall not ask more than you have.”
“Thank you; you are very considerate.” ”

“ Mrs. Middleton complied with her husband’s request, but with no great show of willingness.
“As this is your last supper under my roof,” he said to Tom while his wife was gone for the meat, “I wish you to be satisfied.”
“Then I am not to return to Plympton?” said Tom.
“No; it will probably be necessary for you to work for your living at once. You may, perhaps, go into a shoe-shop, or learn the carpenter’s trade.”
“Did Mr. Sharp say that?”
“No; I only suggested it.”
“Thank you. Perhaps you would take me into your office to learn the insurance business.” ”

“ Well, Morton, how goes it? You look as if you were attending a funeral.”
“Will there be a funeral?” interrupted the terrified Dutchman. “Oh, Gott in Himmel! they will not kill us?”
“No, mein herr, I think not. They’ll only take all our money.”
Mr. Schmidt groaned piteously, and for the fiftieth time execrated his folly in selling out a lager bier saloon, in which he was making money, to start in quest of the mines. Ah, little did the plump Katrine and the children, waiting eagerly to hear of his success, dream that he was even now in the clutches of robbers. ”

“ He saw that even robber-captains have a human side, and are not altogether bad.
“Do you like this kind of life?” asked our hero.
The robber shrugged his shoulders.
“A man must live,” he said. “I would rather be a prosperous merchant, but I must be satisfied with the mode of life that fortune has opened to me. But that is not to the point,” he said, changing his tone. “You said you had something for my advantage to propose. What is it?”
“I will tell you. Give me up those bonds, give me the means of returning with them to New York, and you shall have ten thousand dollars as a reward.” ”

“ IT MUST not be supposed that Tom cared nothing for the loss of his fortune. He was old enough to know the value of money, and to realize the great difference it would make in the life that lay before him. ”

“ Tom did not particularly mind the walk. In fact, though the idea of being a captive in the hands of robbers was not particularly agreeable, there was a spice of adventure and romance about it which he liked. Gates, too, was a man who took things philosophically, and did not allow himself to be disturbed overmuch by any contretemps like the present. But the other two, namely, Morton and our Teutonic friend, took it more to heart. Morton had a great deal to lose, and he was in terror lest the papers and certificates of stock should be found upon his person. ”