joe the hotel boy-第14节
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〃If there is I'll give you the ten dollars；〃 answered the slick one。 〃Let me count the bills。〃
〃All right； there ye be； Mr。 Davis。〃
Henry Davis took the wallet and pretended to count the bills。
〃Hullo； what's that？〃 he cried； whirling around。
〃What's wot？〃 demanded Josiah Bean； also looking around。
〃I thought I heard somebody cry fire。〃
〃Don't say thet！ Say； let's git out o' hereI don't want to look at the sights。〃
〃All righthere's your money。 I guess it's six hundred after all；〃 answered the slick… looking individual； passing over the wallet。
They hurried to the elevator and got into quite a crowd of people。
〃Wait for me here；〃 said Henry Davis； as they walked past the side corridor。 〃I want to step in yonder office and send a message to a friend。〃
He ran off； leaving the old farmer by himself。 Josiah Bean looked around him nervously。
〃I guess that wasn't no cry o' fire after all；〃 he mused。 〃Well； if there's a fire I kin git out from here quick enough。〃
The office building was a large one； running from one street to the next。 On the street in the rear was a bookstore； the proprietor of which had advertised for a clerk。
Joe had applied for the position and was waiting for the proprietor to address him when； on chancing to look up； he saw Henry Davis rush past as if in a tremendous hurry。
〃Hullo； that's the fellow who was with the old farmer；〃 he told himself。
〃What can I do for you； young man？〃 asked the proprietor of the bookshop； approaching at that instant。
〃I believe you wish a clerk；〃 answered our hero。
〃Have you had experience in this line？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Then you won't do。 I must have someone who is experienced。〃
〃I am willing to learn。〃
〃It won't do。 I want an experienced clerk or none at all；〃 was the sharp answer。
Leaving the bookstore； Joe stood out on the sidewalk for a moment and then walked around the corner。
A moment later he caught sight of Josiah Bean； gazing up and down the thoroughfare and acting like one demented。
〃What's the matter？〃 he asked。
〃Matter？〃 bawled the old farmer。 I've been took in！ Robbed！ Swindled！ Oh； wot will Mirandy say！〃
〃Who robbed you？〃
〃Thet Mr。 Davis I reckon！ He counted the money last； an' now it's gone！〃
〃I saw Mr。 Davis a minute ago。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Around the corner； walking as fast as he could。〃
〃He's got my money！ Oh； I must catch him！〃
〃I'll help you；〃 answered Joe； with vigor。 〃I thought he looked like a slick one；〃 he added。
He led the way and Josiah Bean came behind。 The old farmer looked as if he was ready to drop with fright。 The thought of losing his wife's money was truly horrifying。
〃Mirandy won't never forgive me！〃 he groaned。 〃Oh； say； boy； we've got to catch that rascal！〃
〃If we can；〃 added our hero。
He had noted the direction taken by the swindler； and now ran across the street and into a side thoroughfare leading to where a new building was being put up。
Here； from a workman； he learned that the sharper had boarded a street car going south。 He hailed the next car and both he and the old farmer got aboard。
〃This ain't much use；〃 said Josiah Bean； with quivering lips。 〃We dunno how far he took himself to。〃
〃Let us trust to luck to meet him；〃 said Joe。
They rode for a distance of a dozen blocks and then the car came to a halt； for there was a blockade ahead。
〃We may as well get off；〃 said our hero。 〃He may be in one of the forward cars。〃
They alighted and walked on； past half a dozen cars。 Then our hero gave a cry of triumph 。
〃There he is！〃 he said； and pointed to the swindler； who stood on a car platform； gazing anxiously ahead。
CHAPTER XVI。
A MATTER OF SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS。
〃Say； you； give me my money！〃
Such were Josiah Bean's words； as he rushed up to Henry Davis and grabbed the swindler by the shoulder。
The slick…looking individual was thoroughly startled； for he had not dreamed that the countryman would get on his track so soon。 He turned and looked at the man and also at Joe； and his face fell。
〃Whawhat are you talking about？〃 he stammered。
〃You know well enough what I am talking about；〃 answered Josiah Bean； wrathfully。 〃I want my money； every cent o' it；an' you are a…goin' to jail！〃
〃Sir； you are making a sad mistake；〃 said the swindler； slowly。 〃I know nothing of you or your money。〃
〃Yes； you do。〃
〃Make him get off the car；〃 put in Joe。
〃Boy； what have you to do with this？〃 asked the swindler； turning bitterly to our hero。
〃Not much perhaps；〃 answered Joe。 〃But I'd like to see justice done。〃
〃I want that money；〃 went on the countryman； doggedly。 〃Come off the car。〃
He caught the swindler tighter than ever and made him walk to the sidewalk。 By this time a crowd of people began to collect。
〃What's the trouble here？〃 asked one gentleman。
〃He's robbed me； that's what's the matter；〃 answered the countryman。 〃He has got six hundred dollars o' mine！〃
〃Six hundred dollars！〃 cried several and began to take a deeper interest。
〃Gentleman this man must be crazy。 I never saw him before；〃 came loudly from the swindler。
〃That is not true！〃 cried Joe。 〃He was with the man who lost the money。 I saw them together yesterday。〃
〃I am a respectable merchant from Pittsburg；〃 went on the swindler。 〃It is outrageous to be accused in this fashion。〃
〃Somebody had better call a policeman；〃 said Joe。
〃I'll do dat；〃 answered a newsboy； and ran off to execute the errand。
As the crowd began to collect the swindler saw that he was going to have difficulty in clearing himself or getting away。 He looked around； and seeing an opening made a dash for it。
He might have gotten away had it not been for Joe。 But our hero was watching him with the eyes of a hawk； and quick as a flash he caught the rascal by the coat sleeve。
〃No； you don't！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Come back here！〃
〃Let go！〃 cried the man and hit Joe in the ear。 But the blow did not stop Joe from detaining him and in a second more Josiah Bean caught hold also。
〃Ain't goin' to git away nohow！〃 exclaimed the countryman； and took hold of the swindler's throat。
〃Lelet go！〃 came back in a gasp。 〃Don'tdon't strangle me！〃
When a policeman arrived the swindler was thoroughly cowed and he turned reproachfully to Josiah Bean。
〃This isn't fair；〃 he said。 It was all a joke。 I haven't got your money。〃
〃Yes； you have。〃
〃He is right； Mr。 Bean；〃 put in Joe。 〃The money； I think； is in your side pocket。〃
The countryman searched the pocket quickly and brought out a flat pocketbook。
〃Hullo！ this ain't mine！〃 he ejaculated。
He opened the pocketbook and inside were the twelve fifty…dollar bills。
〃My money sure enough！ How in the world did it git there？〃
〃This man just slipped the pocketbook into your pocket；〃 answered Joe。
〃I did not！〃 put in the swindler； hotly。
〃You did。〃
〃Dat's right！〃 piped up the newsboy who had brought the policeman。 〃I see him do de trick jest a minit ago！〃
〃This is a plot against me！〃 fumed the swindler。
〃Dat feller is a bad egg！〃 went on the news… boy。 〃His name is Bill Butts。 He's a slick one； he is。 Hits de country jays strong； he does！〃
At the mention of the name； Bill Butts； the policeman became more interested than ever。
〃You'll come to the station house with me；〃 he said； sternly。 〃We can straighten out the matter there。〃
〃All right；〃 answered Bill Butts； for such was his real name。
In a few minutes more the party； including Joe； was off in the direction of the police station。
〃Better keep a good eye on your money； Mr。 Bean；〃 said our hero； as they walked along。
〃I've got it tucked away safe in an inside pocket；〃 answered the old countryman。
The station house was several squares away； and while walking beside the policeman the eyes of Bill Butts were wide open； looking for some means of escape。 He had 〃done time〃 twice and he did not wish to be sent up again if it could possibly be avoided。
His opportunity came in an unexpected manner。 In a show window on a corner a man was exhibiting some new athletic appliances and a crowd had collected to witness the exhibition。 The policeman had to force his way through。
〃Hi； quit shovin' me！〃 growled a burly fellow in the crowd； not knowing he was addressing a guardian of the law。
〃Make way here！〃 ordered the policeman； sternly； and then the fellow fell back。
It gave Bill Butts the chance he wanted and as quick as a flash he dove into the crowd and out of sight。
〃He is running away！〃 cried Joe。
〃Catch him！〃 put in Josiah Bean。
Both went after the swindler and so did the policeman。 But the crowd was too dense for them； and inside of five minutes Bill Butts had made good his escape。
〃What did ye want to let him slip ye fer？〃 growled the old countryman； angrily。
〃Don't talk to me；〃 growled the policeman。
〃He ought to be reported for this；〃 put in our hero。
〃Say another word and I'll run you both in；〃 said the bluecoat。
〃Come away；〃 whispered Josiah Bean。 〃Anyway； it ain't so bad。 I've got my money。〃
〃I'm willing to go；〃 answered Joe。 〃But； just the same； that policeman is a pudding head；〃 he added； loudly。
〃I'll pudding head you！〃 cried the bluecoat； b
