joe the hotel boy-第10节

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〃They　ought　to　be　worth　face　valuefifty　thousand　dollars；〃　said　the　man　in　bed。

A　talk　in　a　lower　tone　followed；　and　then　more　rustling　of　papers。

〃I　will　call　to…morrow　with　the　cash；〃　said　Maurice　Vane；　as　he　prepared　to　leave。　　〃In　the　meantime；　you　promise　to　keep　these　shares　for　me？〃

〃I'll　keep　them　until　noon。　　I've　got　another　offer；〃　said　the　man　in　bed。

〃We'll　be　back；〃　put　in　the　man　called　Anderson。　　〃So　don't　you　sell　to　anybody　else。〃

Then　the　two　visitors　left　and　went　downstairs。　Five　minutes　later　they　were　driving　away　in　the　direction　of　the　railroad　station。

〃This　certainly　beats　anything　I　ever　met　before；〃　said　Joe；　to　himself　as　he　watched　them　go。　　〃I'll　wager　all　I　am　worth　that　I've　met　that　Anderson　before；　and　that　he　is　a　bad　man。　　I　do　wish　I　could　get　at　the　bottom　of　what　is　going　on。〃

In　the　evening　he　had　occasion　to　go　upstairs　in　the　hotel　once　more。　　To　his　surprise　he　saw　Mr。　David　Ball　sitting　in　a　rocking…chair；　calmly　smoking　a　cigar　and　reading　a　paper。

〃He　isn't　as　sick　as　he　was　this　morning；〃　he　mused。　　〃In　fact；　I　don't　think　he　is　sick　at　all。〃

He　wished　to　be　on　hand　the　following　morning；　when　the　strangers　came　back；　but　an　errand　took　him　up　the　lake。　　He　had　to　stop　at　several　places；　and　did　not　start　on　the　return　until　four　in　the　afternoon。

On　his　way　back　Joe　went　ashore　close　to　where　the　old　lodge　was　located；　and　something；　he　could　not　tell　what；　made　him　run　over　and　take　a　look　at　the　spot　that　had　proved　a　shelter　for　Ned　and　himself　during　the　heavy　storm。　　How　many　things　had　occurred　since　that　fatal　day！

As　our　hero　looked　into　one　of　the　rooms　he　remembered　the　strange　men　he　had　seen　there　the　fellows　who　had　talked　about　mining　stocks。　　Then；　of　a　sudden；　a　revelation　came　to　him；　like　a　thunderbolt　out　of　a　clear　sky。

〃I've　got　it！　I've　got　it！〃　he　cried。　〃Mr。　David　Ball　is　that　fellow　who　called　himself　Malone；　and　Anderson　is　the　man　named　Caven！　They　are　both　imposters！〃



CHAPTER　XI。


A　FRUITLESS　CHASE。


The　more　Joe　thought　over　the　matter　the　more　he　became　convinced　that　he　was　right。　He　remembered　a　good　deal　of　the　talk　he　had　overheard　during　the　storm；　although　such　talk　had；　for　the　time　being；　been　driven　from　his　mind　by　the　tragic　death　of　old　Hiram　Bodley。

〃If　they　are　working　some　game　what　can　this　Maurice　Vane　have　to　do　with　it？〃　he　asked　himself。

He　thought　it　best　to　get　back　to　the　hotel　at　once；　and　tell　Mr。　Mallison　of　his　suspicions。　But；　as　luck　would　have　it；　scarcely　had　he　started　to　row　his　boat　again　when　an　oarlock　broke；　and　so　it　took　him　the　best　part　of　an　hour　to　make　the　trip。

〃Where　is　Mr。　Mallison？〃　he　asked　of　the　clerk　of　the　hotel。

〃Out　in　the　stable；　I　believe；〃　was　the　answer。

Without　waiting；　our　hero　ran　down　to　the　stable　and　found　the　hotel　proprietor　inspecting　some　hay　that　had　just　been　unloaded。

〃I'd　like　to　speak　to　you　a　moment；　Mr。　Mallison；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　important；〃　and　he　motioned　for　the　man　to　follow　him。

〃What　is　it；　Joe？〃

〃It's　about　those　men　who　called　to　see　that　sick　man；　and　about　the　sick　man；　too。〃

〃He　has　goneall　of　them　have　gone。〃

〃What！〃　ejaculated　our　hero。　　〃The　sick　man；　too？〃

〃Exactly。　　But　he　didn't　go　with　the　others。　　While　they　were　here　he　was　in　bed；　but　right　after　they　left　he　arose；　dressed　himself；　and　drove　away。〃

〃Where　did　he　go　to？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃Do　you　know　what　became　of　the　other　two　men？〃

〃I　do　not。　　But　what's　up？　Is　there　anything　wrong？〃　questioned　the　hotel　proprietor；　with　a　look　of　concern　on　his　face。

〃I　am　afraid　there　is；〃　answered　Joe；　and　told　his　tale　from　beginning　to　end。

〃That's　an　odd　sort　of　a　yarn；　Joe。　　It's　queer　you　didn't　recognize　the　men　before。

〃It　is　queer；　sir；　but　I　can't　help　that。　　It　flashed　over　me　just　as　I　looked　into　the　window　of　the　old　lodge。〃

〃You　haven't　made　any　mistake？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Humph！〃　Andrew　Mallison　mused　for　a　moment。　　〃I　don't　really　see　what　I　can　do　in　the　matter。　　We　can't　prove　that　those　men　are　wrongdoers；　can　we？〃

〃Not　unless　they　tried　some　game　on　this　Mr。　Maurice　Vane。〃

〃They　may　have　sold　him　some　worthless　mining　shares。　　That　sort　of　a　trick　is　rather　old。〃

〃I　think　we　ought　to　make　a　search　for　this　David　Ball；　or　Malone；　or　whatever　his　name　is。〃

〃I'm　willing　to　do　that。〃

After　questioning　half　a　dozen　people　they　learned　that　the　pretended　sick　man　had　driven　off　in　the　direction　of　a　village　called　Hopedale。

〃What　made　him　go　there；　do　you　think？〃　questioned　Joe。

〃I　don't　know；　excepting　that　he　thought　of　getting　a　train　on　the　other　line。〃

A　horse　and　buggy　were　procured；　and　in　this　Mr。　Mallison　and　our　hero　drove　over　to　Hopedale。　　They　were　still　on　the　outskirts　of　the　village　when　they　heard　a　locomotive　whistle。

〃There's　the　afternoon　train　now！〃　cried　Joe。　　〃Perhaps　it's　the　one　he　wants　to　catch。〃

The　horse　was　touched　up　and　the　buggy　drove　up　to　the　railroad　platform　at　breakneck　speed。　　But　the　train　was　gone　and　all　they　could　see　of　it　was　the　last　car　as　it　swung　around　one　of　the　mountain　bends。

〃Too　late；　Mr。　Mallison！〃　sang　out　the　station　master。　　〃If　I　had　known　ye　was　comin'　I　might　have　held　her　up　a　bit。〃

〃I　didn't　want　the　train；　Jackson。　　Who　got　on　board？〃

〃Two　ladies；　a　man　and　a　boyDick　Fadder。〃

〃Did　you　know　the　man？〃

〃No。〃

〃What　did　he　have　with　him？〃

〃A　dress　suit　case。〃

〃Was　he　dressed　in　a　dark　blue　suit　and　wear　a　slouch　hat？〃　asked　Joe。

〃Yes；　and　had　a　light　overcoat　with　him。〃

〃That　was　our　man。〃

〃Anything　wrong　with　him？〃　asked　the　station　master。

〃Perhaps；〃　answered　the　hotel　proprietor。　〃Anyway；　we　wanted　to　see　him。　　Did　he　buy　a　ticket？〃

〃Yes；　to　Snagtown。〃

〃What　can　he　want　in　Snagtown？〃　asked　Joe。

〃Oh；　that　might　have　been　a　blind；　Joe。　He　could　easily　go　through　to　Philadelphia　or　some　other　place；　if　he　wanted　to。〃

At　first　they　thought　of　telegraphing　ahead　to　stop　the　man；　but　soon　gave　that　plan　up。　They　had　no　evidence；　and　did　not　wish　to　make　trouble　unless　they　knew　exactly　what　they　were　doing。

〃I　hope　it　turns　out　all　right；〃　observed　Andrew　Mallison；　when　they　were　driving　back　to　Riverside。　　〃If　there　was　a　swindle　it　would　give　my　hotel　a　black　eye。〃

〃That's　one　reason　why　I　wanted　that　man　held；〃　answered　Joe。

The　next　day　and　that　following　passed　quietly；　and　our　hero　began　to　think　that　he　had　made　a　mistake　and　misjudged　the　men。　He　was　kept　very　busy　and　so　almost　forgot　the　incident。

Among　the　new　boarders　was　a　fussy　old　man　named　Chaster；　who　was　speedily　nicknamed　by　the　bell　boys　Chestnuts。　　He　was　a　particular　individual；　and　made　everybody　as　uncomfortable　as　he　possibly　could。

One　day　Wilberforce　Chasterto　use　his　full　name；asked　Joe　to　take　him　out　on　the　lake　for　a　day's　fishing。　　Our　hero　readily　complied；　and　was　in　hot　water　from　the　time　they　went　out　until　they　returned。　　Nothing　suited　the　old　man；　and　as　he　caught　hardly　any　fish　he　was　exceedingly　put　out　when　he　came　back　to　the　hotel。

〃Your　boatman　is　of　no　account；〃　he　said　to　Andrew　Mallison。　　〃I　have　spent　a　miserable　day；〃　and　he　stamped　off　to　his　room　in　high　anger。

〃It　was　not　my　fault；　Mr。　Mallison；〃　said　Joe；　with　burning　cheeks。　　〃I　did　my　level　best　by　him。〃

〃That　man　has　been　making　trouble　for　us　ever　since　he　come；〃　answered　the　hotel　proprietor。　〃I　am　going　to　ask　him　to　go　elsewhere　when　his　week　is　up。〃

The　insults　that　Joe　had　received　that　day　from　Wilberforce　Chaster　rankled　in　his　mind；　and　he　determined　to　square　accounts　with　the　boarder　if　he　possibly　could。

Towards　evening　he　met　a　bell　boy　named　Harry　Ross　who　had　also　had　trouble　with　Chaster；　and　the　two　talked　the　matter　over。

〃We　ought　to　get　square；〃　said　Harry　Ross。　〃I　wish　I　could　souse　him　with　a　pitcher　of　ice　water。〃

〃I've　got　a　plan；〃　said　Joe。

Stopping　at　the　hotel　was　a　traveling　doctor；　who　came　to　Riverside　twice　a　year；　for　a　stay　of　two　weeks　each　time。　　He　sold　some　patent　medicines；　and　had　in　his　room　several　skulls　and　also　a　skeleton　strung　on　wires。

〃That　doctor　is　away；〃　said　our　hero。　　〃I　wonder　if　we　can't　smuggle　the　skulls　and　the　skeleton　into　Mr。　Chaster's　room？〃

〃Just　the　cheese！〃　cried　the　bell　boy；　enthusiastically。　　〃And　let　us　rub　the　bones　with　some　of　those　matches　that　glow　in　the　dark！〃

The　plan　was　talked　over；　and　watching　their　chance　the　two　transferred　the　skeleton　and　the　skulls　to　the　apartment　occupied　by　Wilberforce　Chaster。　　Then　they　rubbed　phosphorus　on　the　bones；　and　hung　them　upon　long　strings；　running　over　a　doorway　into　the　next　room。

That　evening　Wilberforce　Chaster　remained　in　the　hotel　parlor　until　ten　o　'clock。　　Then　he　marched　off　to　his　room　in　his　usual　ill　humor。　The　gas　was　lit　and　he　went　to　bed　without　delay。

As　soon　as　the　light　went　out　and　they　heard　the　man　retire；　Joe　and　the　bell　boy　began　to　groan　in　an　ominous　manner。　　As　they　did　so；　they　worked　the　strings　to　which　the　skulls　and　the　skeleton　were　attached；　causing　them　to　dance　up　and　down　in　the　center　of　the　old　man's　room。

Hearing　the　groans；　Wilberforce　Chaster　sat　up　in　bed　and　listened。　　Then　he　peered　around　in　the　d