Jr. Horatio Alger

“ A branch, which hung unusually low, knocked off the hat and wig of the pseudo Quaker, and Tony was petrified with dismay when he saw revealed the black, cropped head and sinister face of Rudolph, the tramp.
Rudolph!” he exclaimed, stopping short in his amazement.
Yes,” said the tramp, avowing himself, now that he saw disguise was useless; “it’s Rudolph. At last I have you, you young scamp!” and he seized the boy’s arms as in the grip of a vise.
Tony tried to shake off the grip, but what could a boy do against an athletic man? ”

“ Tony looked dissatisfied.
I wish we were not obliged to beg our meals,” he said; “I don’t like it.”
“Oh, you’re getting proud, are you?” sneered Rudolph. “If you’ve got money to pay for your supper we won’t beg, as you call it.”
“Why can’t we do as other people do?” asked Tony.
What’s that?”
“Live somewhere, and not go tramping round the country all the time. It would be a good deal pleasanter.”
“Not for me. I’m a vagrant by nature. I can’t be cooped up in one place. I should die of stagnation. I come of a roving stock. My mother and father before me were rovers, and I follow in their steps.” ”

“ You didn’t get your clothing from a fashionable tailor, I should judge,” said his new guardian.
No,” said Tony. “I haven’t been to fashionable tailors much.”
“After breakfast I must go with you and see you properly clothed. If you are to be my ward, I must have your appearance do me credit.”
“How very kind you are to me, Mr. Spencer,” said Tony, gratefully. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“You’ve done something in that way already.”
“It seems like a dream that a poor boy like me should be adopted by a rich gentleman.”
“It is a dream you won’t wake up from very soon. ”

“ You’re dark and I am light.”
“That proves nothing,” said the elder tramp hastily. “Brothers are often as unlike. Perhaps you don’t want to look upon me as a relation?”
The boy was silent.
Are you getting ashamed of me?” demanded Rudolph, in a harsh tone.
I am ashamed of myself,” said Tony bitterly. “I’m nothing but a tramp, begging my bread from door to door, sleeping in barns, outhouses, in the fields, anywhere I can. I’m as ignorant as a boy of eight. I can just read and that’s all.”
“You know as much as I do.”
“That don’t satisfy me. When I grow up I don’t want to be—​—”
Tony hesitated. ”

“ You don’t want to be like me. Is that it?” asked Rudolph angrily.
No, I don’t want to be like you,” answered Tony boldly. “I want to have a home, and a business, and to live like other people.”
“Humph!” muttered Rudolph, fixing his eyes thoughtfully upon his young companion. “This is something new. You never talked like that before.”
“But I’ve felt like that plenty of times. I’m tired of being a tramp.”
“Then you’re a fool. There’s no life so free and independent. ”

“ A boy that don’t know the first thing about horses,” grumbled Sam.
Who is it?”
“Joe Clark.”
“He’s a good boy; I’m glad he’s coming, though I’m sorry to lose Tony.”
“Thank you, James,” said Tony. “I’d like to stay, but I can’t blame Mr. Porter for not believing my story. It was a strange one, but it’s true, for all that.”
James shrugged his shoulders.
Then you believe you’re heir to a fortune, as he told you?”
“Yes; he had no reason to tell me a lie.”
“What’s that?” asked Sam.
The Quaker gentleman who was here told Tony that he was heir to a large fortune.”
“Ho! ho!” laughed Sam, boisterously. ”

“ If I had moved about much, or opened the door, it would have waked him up.”
“You are a coward,” sneered Rudolph. “When I was of your age I wouldn’t have given up a job so easily. Such men sleep sound. No matter if they do move about, they won’t wake up. If you had had a little more courage we should have succeeded last night in capturing the money.”
“I wish you’d give it up, Rudolph,” said Tony earnestly.
You don’t know what you’re talking about,” said the tramp harshly. “You’re a milksop. The world owes us a living, and we must call for it.” ”

“ The long and the short of it is that there is an English estate, bringing in two thousand pounds rental, that of right belongs to you.”
“To me—an estate of two thousand pounds a year!” exclaimed Tony, in astonishment.
“Yes; the party who owns it pays me an income as hush money. I have only to say the word, and the estate will be yours, Tony.”
“Say the word, Rudolph, and you shall have the same income,” entreated Tony. “It isn’t the money I so much care for, but I want to know who I am. I want to be restored to my rightful place in society. Is my mother living?” ”

“ You can do just as you’ve a mind to,” said Abner. “You’ll be company to Tony and me, but you needn’t put yourself out on our account, hey, Tony?”
There was a smothered laugh on top of the hay, which the tramp heard. His eyes snapped viciously, and he privately determined to give Tony a settlement in full for all his offenses just as soon as he got hold of him.
So they jogged on, mile after mile. Abner walked on one side, swinging his whip, and occasionally cracking it. The tramp walked on the other side of the road, and the boy rode along luxuriously imbedded in his fragrant couch of hay. ”

“ Looking down, he saw the dark figure of Rudolph leaning against the well curb, with his eyes fixed on the window.
Oh, you’re there at last!” growled Rudolph. “I thought I’d never wake you up. Is the man asleep?”
“Yes,” said Tony.
Then come down and let me in.”
“I would rather not,” said Tony, uneasily.
What’s the fool afraid of?” answered Rudolph, in a low, menacing tone.
The man might wake up.”
“No danger. Such animals always sleep heavily. There’s no danger, I tell you.”
“I don’t want to do it,” said Tony. “It would be mean. They’ve treated me well, and I don’t want to help rob them.” ”

“ He had an income, and comfortably provided for, and he did not choose to give up this comfortable and independent life.
No,” he said, “I won’t kill you; but I will be revenged for all that. First I will keep you from that generous friend of yours.”
“What will he think has become of me?” thought Tony, uneasily.
A thought came to him. He would appeal to the man’s love of money.
Rudolph,” he said, “I am afraid my friend will be uneasy about me. If you will let me go I will give you ten pounds that I have in my pocket.”
“I don’t believe you have so much money,” said Rudolph, cunningly. ”

“ He looks like a young gentleman now. But why should he have worn such clothes before?”
“I can’t tell, I am sure.”
“That’s a nice-looking young man, Elvira. I wish he would take a fancy to you.”
“La, mamma! How you talk!” said Elvira, bridling and smiling.
Depend upon it, Tony, those ladies will be polite to you if they get a chance,” said Spencer, laughing.
It makes a great deal of difference how a feller is dressed,” said Tony.
“You are right, Tony; but don’t say feller. Remember, you are fashionable now.”
“There’s a gentleman in front that I know,” said Tony, suddenly. ”

“ Middleton said, with slow significance:
“This boy is in my way. Don’t you think he might manage to get sick and die?”
“Perhaps he might,” said Rudolph, who did not appear to be shocked at the suggestion.
Couldn’t you manage it?” she asked.
I might,” he answered shrewdly, “if it was going to do me any good.”
“Then the only question is as to pay,” she continued.
That’s about it, ma’am. It’s a big risk. I might get caught and then money wouldn’t do me much good.”
“Nothing venture, nothing have. You don’t want to be a pauper all your life?”
“No, I don’t,” answered the tramp, with energy. ”

“ I will black boots in the streets first.”
“That will suit me just as well,” said the tramp, laughing maliciously. “You have grown too proud. I want to lower your pride, young popinjay!”
“I am not afraid of anything you can do to me, Rudolph,” said Tony, bravely.
Suppose I choose to kill you?”
“You won’t dare do it. We are not in the woods now.”
Tony had hit the truth. Rudolph did not dare to kill him, though he would have been glad to. But he knew that he would himself be arrested, and he had more to live for now than formerly. ”

“ Bickford,” said the landlord, with a glance of recognition. “Well, that’s enough. I’ll take you. James, take this boy to the kitchen, and give him some supper. What’s your name, boy?”
“Tony Rugg.”
“Very well, Tony, I’ll give you three dollars a week and your board as long as we suit each other.”
“I’ve got work sooner than I expected,” thought Tony.
The hostler set him to work in the barn, and, though he was new to the work, he quickly understood what was wanted, and did it.
You work twice as fast as Sam,” said the hostler.
Won’t Sam be mad when he finds I have taken his place?” asked Tony. ”

“ What’s the odds?” he said to himself. “The boy’s got to die some time or other, and his dying now will make me comfortable for life. No more hungry tramps for me. I’ll settle down and be respectable. Eight hundred dollars a year will relieve me from all care.”
At a few minutes after nine Tony set out on his journey. It never occurred to him that the old Quaker in suit of sober drab, who sat on the piazza and saw him depart, was a man who cherished sinister designs upon him. In fact, he had forgotten all about him, and was intent upon his journey alone.
Take care of yourself, Tony,” said James. ”

“ Tony succeeded tolerably well, but he could not get over the ground so fast as Abner.
Why don’t you hire out on a farm?” asked Abner, as he took back the hoe.
I would if I could,” answered Tony.
Why can’t you? Won’t your father let you?”
“He wants me to go round with him,” answered Tony.
Wouldn’t he take me instead of you?” asked Abner, grinning. “I’d like to travel round and see the world. You could stay here and do the farm work.”
“If he and the farmer agree to the change, I will,” answered Tony, with a smile.
At noon they went back to the farmhouse to dinner. ”

“ CHAPTER II AT THE FARMHOUSE “Where are we going to stop to-night?” asked Tony ten minutes later.
There,” answered Rudolph, pointing out a farmhouse a little to the left.
Suppose they won’t let us.”
“They will admit us into the barn at least, if we play our cards right. Listen to what I say. You are to be my son.”
“But I am not your son.”
“Be silent!” said the other tramp, “and don’t you dare to contradict me. You have been sick, and are too weak to go further.”
“That is a lie, Rudolph.”
“That doesn’t matter. If they believe it, they won’t turn us away. ”

“ I supposed that the Quaker had taken him, but James tells me Sam Payson found him and brought him back.”
“Look here, boy,” said the landlord, sternly, “do you expect me to believe this romance of yours?”
“I don’t know whether you will or not, sir. All I can say is that it is the exact truth.”
“I cannot keep you in my employ any longer. I have been deceived in you, and should no longer trust you. You certainly have mistaken your vocation. You are not fit to be a stableboy.”
“I should like to know what I am fit for?” said Tony, despondently. ”

“ Joe, who had been instructed what to do, answered not a word.
Come down here, if you know what’s best for you,” continued the tramp.
Guess he’s hard of hearing,” laughed Abner.
Stop your wagon,” said Rudolph furiously, “I want to get hold of him.”
“Couldn’t do it,” said Abner coolly. “I’m in a hurry.”
“Will you give me the boy or not?” demanded the tramp hoarsely.
He can get off and go along with you if he wants to,” said Abner. “Do you want to get down, Tony?”
“No!” answered the supposed Tony.
You see, squire, he prefers to ride,” said Abner. “Can’t blame him much. I’d do it in his place.” ”