joe the hotel boy-第15节

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〃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；　but　made　no　attempt　to　molest　Joe；　whose　general　style　he　did　not　fancy。

Side　by　side　Josiah　Bean　and　our　hero　walked　away；　until　the　crowd　was　left　behind　and　they　were　practically　alone。

〃I'm　goin'　to　count　thet　money　again；〃　said　the　old　countryman；　and　did　so；　to　make　certain　that　it　was　all　there。

〃We　were　lucky　to　spot　the　rascal；　Mr。　Bean。〃

〃I　didn't　spot　himit　was　you。　　I'm　much　obliged　to　ye。〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right。〃

〃Seems　to　me　you　are　entitled　to　a　reward；　Joe；〃　went　on　the　old　farmer。

〃I　don't　want　any　reward。〃

〃But　you're　a…goin'　to　take　it。　　How　would　five　dollars　strike　you？〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　　I　don't　want　a　cent。〃

〃Then；　maybe；　ye　won't　even　come　an'　take　dinner　with　me；〃　continued　the　old　man；　in　disappointed　tones。

〃Yes；　I'll　do　that；　for　this　chase　has　made　me　tremendously　hungry。〃

〃If　ye　ever　come　down　my　way；　Joe；　ye　must　stop　an'　call　on　me。〃

〃I　will；　Mr。　Bean。〃

〃Nuthin'　on　my　farm　will　be　too　good　for　ye；　Joe。　　I'm　goin'　to　tell　my　wife　Mirandy　o'　this　happenin'　an'　she'll　thank　you　jest　as　I've　done。〃

A　good　restaurant　was　found　not　far　away　and　there　the　two　procured　a　fine　meal　and　took　their　time　eating　it。

〃Have　ye　found　work　yet？〃　asked　the　old　man。

〃Not　yet。　　I　was　looking　for　a　job　when　I　met　you。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　ye　strike　wot　ye　want；　lad。　But　it's　hard　to　git　a　place　in　the　city；　some　times。〃

〃I　shall　try　my　level　best。〃

〃Wish　I　could　git　a　job　fer　ye。　　But　I　don't　know　nubuddy。〃

〃I　am　going　to　try　the　hotels　next。　　I　have　a　strong　letter　of　recommendation　from　a　hotel　man。〃

〃If　ye　don't　git　no　work　in　Philadelphy　come　out　on　my　farm。　　I'll　board　ye　all　winter　fer　nuthin'；〃　went　on　Josiah　Bean；　generously。

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Bean；　you　are　very　kind。〃

〃I　mean　it。　　We　don't　live　very　high…falutin'；　but　we　have　plenty　o'　plain；　good　victuals。〃

〃I'll　remember　what　you　say；〃　answered　our　hero。

An　hour　later　he　saw　the　countryman　on　a　train　bound　for　home；　and　then　he　started　once　more　to　look　for　a　situation。



CHAPTER　XVII。


JOE'S　NEW　POSITION。


All　of　that　afternoon　Joe　looked　for　a　position　among　the　various　hotels　of　the　Quaker　City。　　But　at　each　place　he　visited　he　received　the　same　answer；　that　there　was　no　help　needed　just　then。

〃This　is　discouraging；〃　he　told　himself；　as　he　retired　that　night。　　〃Perhaps　I'll　have　to　go　to　the　country　or　back　to　Riverside　after　all。〃

Yet　he　was　up　bright　and　early　the　next　day　and　just　as　eager　as　ever　to　obtain　a　situation。

He　had　heard　of　a　new　hotel　called　the　Grandon　House　and　visited　it　directly　after　breakfast。

As　he　entered　the　corridor　he　heard　his　name　called　and　turning　around　saw　Andrew　Mallison。

〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Mallison；〃　said　our　hero；　shaking　hands。　　〃I　didn't　expect　to　meet　you　here。〃

〃I've　got　a　little　special　business　in　Philadelphia；〃　said　the　hotel　man。　　〃I　came　in　last　night　and　I　am　going　back　this　afternoon。　How　are　you　making　out？〃

〃It's　all　out　so　far；〃　and　Joe　smiled　faintly　at　his　own　joke。

〃No　situation；　eh？〃

〃That's　it。〃

〃Why　don't　you　strike　the　people　here。　It's　a　new　place　and　the　proprietor　may　need　help。〃

〃That　is　what　I　came　for。〃

〃I'll　put　in　a　good　word　for　you；　Joe。　Come　on。〃

Andrew　Mallison　led　the　way　to　the　office　and　called　up　a　stout；　pleasant　looking　man。

〃Mr。　Drew；　this　is　a　young　friend　of　mine；　Joe　Bodley。　　He　worked　for　me　this　summer；around　the　boats　and　also　in　the　hotel。　　Now　that　the　season　is　at　an　end　he　is　trying　to　find　something　to　do　in　the　city。　　If　you　have　an　opening　I　can　recommend　him。〃

Mr。　Arthur　Drew　surveyed　Joe　critically。　The　new　hotel　was　to　be　run　in　first…class　style　and　he　wanted　his　help　to　be　of　the　best。　　He　rather　liked　Joe's　appearance　and　he　took　note　of　the　fact　that　our　hero's　hands　were　scrupulously　clean　and　that　his　shoes　were　blacked。

〃I've　got　almost　all　the　help　I　need；　but　I　might　take　him　on；〃　he　said；　slowly。　　〃One　of　my　present　boys　does　not　suit　me　at　all。　He　is　too　impudent。〃

〃Well；　Joe　is　never　impudent　and　he　is　very　reliable；〃　answered　Andrew　Mallison。

〃I'll　give　you　a　trial。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

〃The　wages　will　depend　upon　whether　you　board　here　or　outside。〃

〃How　much　will　you　give　me　if　I　stay　at　the　hotel？〃

〃Four　dollars　a　week。〃

〃And　what　if　I　board　outside？〃

〃Nine　dollars　a　week。〃

〃Can　you　give　the　boy　a　pretty　fair　room？〃　asked　Andrew　Mallison。　　〃I　know　yo'll　like　him　after　he　has　been　here　a　while。〃

〃He　can　have　a　room　with　another　boy。　That　lad　yonder；〃　and　the　proprietor　of　the　Grandon　House　pointed　with　his　hand。

Joe　looked　and　saw　that　the　other　lad　was　gentlemanly　looking　and　rather　pleasant。

〃It　will　suit　me　to　stay　here；　I　think；〃　he　said。　　〃Anyway；　I　am　willing　to　try　it。〃

〃When　can　you　come　to　work？〃

〃Right　awayor　at　least；　as　soon　as　I　can　get　my　suit　case　from　where　I　have　been　stopping。〃

〃Then　come　in　after　dinner　and　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do　and　turn　you　over　to　my　head　man。　Randolph；　come　here！〃

At　the　call　a　bell　boy　came　up。

〃This　is　another　boy　who　is　to　work　here；〃　said　Arthur　Drew。　　He　will　room　with　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Drew；　I'll　be　glad　to　get　rid　of　Jack　Sagger；〃　said　Frank　Randolph。

〃What's　your　name？〃　he　went　on　to　our　hero。

〃Joe　Bodley。〃

〃Mine　is　Frank　Randolph。　　I　guess　we'll　get　along　all　right。〃

〃I　hope　so；　Frank；〃　said　Joe；　and　shook　hands。

There　was　a　little　more　talk　and　then　Joe　left；　to　get　his　dress　suit　case　and　a　few　other　things　which　belonged　to　him。　　By　one　o'clock　he　was　back　to　the　Grandon　House；　and　just　in　time　to　see　Andrew　Mallison　going　away。

〃I　am　much　obliged；　Mr。　Mallison；　for　what　you　have　done；〃　said　our　hero；　warmly。

〃You're　welcome；　Joe；〃　answered　the　hotel　man。　　〃I　take　an　interest　in　you　and　I　trust　you　do　well　here。〃

〃I　shall　do　my　best。〃

After　Andrew　Mallison　had　gone　Joe　was　shown　around　the　hotel　and　instructed　in　his　various　duties。　　Occasionally　he　was　to　do　bell…boy　duty；　but　usually　he　was　to　be　an　all…around　helper　for　the　office。

〃I　think　you'll　like　it　here；〃　said　Frank　Randolph。　　〃It's　the　best　hotel　I've　ever　worked　in。　　Mr。　Drew　is　a　perfect　gentleman。〃

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　Frank；〃　answered　our　hero。

The　room　assigned　to　the　two　boys　was　a　small　one　on　the　top　floor　of　the　hotel。　　But　it　was　clean；　contained　two　nice　cots；　and　Joe　felt　it　would　suit　him　very　well。　　Frank　had　hung　up　a　few　pictures　and　had　a　shelf　full　of　books　and　this　made　the　apartment　look　quite　home…like。

〃I'm　going　to　buy　some　books　myself；　this　winter；〃　said　Joe。　　〃And　when　I　get　time　I　am　going　to　do　some　studying。〃

〃I'm　studying　myself；　Joe。　　I　never　had　much　schooling；〃　returned　Frank。

〃Are　you　alone　in　the　world？〃

〃No；　my　father　is　living。　　But　he　is　rather　sickly　and　lives　with　an　uncle　of　mine；　over　in　Camden。　　He　can't　work　very　much；　and　that　is　why　I　have　to　support　myself。　　Are　you　alone？〃

〃Yes。　　I　think　my　father　is　living　but　I　can't　locate　him。〃

The　next　day　and　for　several　days　following　Joe　pitched　into　work　in　earnest。　　Many　things　were　strange　to　him；　but　he　determined　to　master　them　as　speedily　as　possible；　and　this　pleased　Arthur　Drew。

〃That　boy　is　all　right；〃　he　said　to　his　cashier。　〃I　am　glad　that　Andrew　Mallison　brought　him　to　me。〃

〃Jack　Sagger　was　awfully　angry　at　being　discharged；〃　said　the　cashier。

〃It　was　his　own　fault。　　I　cannot　afford　to　have　a　boy　around　who　is　impudent。〃

What　the　cashier　said　about　the　discharged　lad　was　true。　　Jack　Sagger　was　〃mad　clear　through；〃　and　he　attributed　his　discharge　solely　to　Joe。

〃I'll　fix　dat　pill；〃　he　said　to　one　of　his　chums。　〃He　ain't　going　to　do　me　out　of　my　job　an'　not　suffer　fer　it。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　Jack？〃　asked　the　companion。

〃I'll　mash　him；　dat's　wot　I'll　do；〃　answered　Jack　Sagger。

He　was　a　big；　rawboned　lad；　several　inches　taller　than　Joe。　　His　face　was　freckled；　and　his　lips　discolored　by　cigarette　smoking。　　He　was　a　thoroughly　tough　boy　and　it　was　a　wonder　that　he　had　ever　been　allowed　to　work　in　the　hotel　at　all。　　He　had　a　fairly　good　home；　but　only　went　there　to　sleep　and　to　get　his　meals。

〃Joe；　I　hear　that　Jack　Sagger　is　going　to　make　it　warm　for　you；〃　said　Frank；　one　Monday　afternoon。

〃I　suppose　he　is　angry　because　I　got　his　position；　is　that　it？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　is　he　going　to　do？〃

〃I　don't　know　exactly；　but　he'll　hurt　you　if　he　can。〃

〃If　he　attacks　me　I'll　do　what　I　can　to　take　care　of　myself；〃　answered　our　hero。

That　afternoon　he　was　sent　out　by　Mr。　Drew　on　an　errand　that　took　him　to　a　neighborhood　occupied　largely　by　wholesale　provision　houses。　　As　Joe　left　the　hotel　Jack　Sagger　saw　him。

〃Dere's　dat　country　jay　now；〃　said　Sagger。

〃Now's　your　time　to　git　square　on　him；　Jack；〃　said　Nick　Sammel；　his　crony。

〃Right　you　are；　Nick。　　Come　on。〃

〃Going　to　follow　him？〃

〃Yes；　till　I　git　him　where　I　want　him。〃

〃Going　to　mash　him？〃

〃Sure。　　When　I　git　through　wid　him　his　own　mother　won't　know　him；〃　went　on　Jack　Sagger；　boastfully。

〃Maybe　he'll　git　the　cops　after　you；　Jack。〃

〃I'll　watch