joe the hotel boy-第4节

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was　the　chief　mourner；　and　it　can　honestly　be　said　that　he　was　much　downcast　when　he　followed　the　hermit　to　his　last　resting　place。

After　the　funeral　several　asked　Joe　what　he　intended　to　do。　　He　could　not　answer　the　question。

〃Have　you　found　that　blue　box？〃　questioned　Doctor　Gardner。

〃No；　sir；　I　have　not　thought　of　it。〃

〃Probably　it　contains　money　and　papers　of　value；　Joe。〃

〃I　am　going　to　look　for　it　to…day；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃II　couldn't　look　for　it　while　while〃

〃I　understand。　　Well；　I　trust　you　locate　the　box　and　that　it　contains　all　you　hope　for；〃　added　the　physician。

As　luck　would　have　it；　Ned　Talmadge's　family　had　just　gone　away　on　a　trip　to　the　West；　so　Mr。　Talmadge　could　offer　the　boy　no　assistance。　But　Ned　was　on　hand　and　did　what　he　could。

〃You　don't　know　what　you'll　do　next；　do　you；　Joe？〃　asked　Ned；　as　he　and　Joe　returned　to　the　wreck　of　the　cabin。

〃No。〃

〃Well；　if　you　haven't　any　money　I'll　do　what　I　can　for　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ned；　you　are　very　kind。〃

〃It　must　be　hard　to　be　thrown　out　on　the　world　in　this　fashion；〃　went　on　the　rich　boy；　sympathetically。

〃It　is　hard。　　After　all；　I　thought　a　good　deal　of　Uncle　Hiram。　　He　was　strange　in　his　ways；　but　he　had　a　good　heart。〃

〃Wasn't　he　shot　in　the　head　once　by　accident　in　the　woods？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Maybe　that　made　him　queer　at　times。〃

〃Perhaps　so。〃

〃I've　got　six　dollars　and　a　half　of　my　spending　money　saved　up。　　You　may　have　that　if　you　wish；〃　continued　Ned；　generously。

〃I'd　rather　not　take　it；　Ned。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃If　I　can；　I　want　to　be　independent。　　Besides；　I　think　there　is　money　around　somewhere；〃　and　Joe　mentioned　the　missing　blue　box。

〃You　must　hunt　for　that　blue　box　by　all　means！〃　cried　the　rich　boy。　　〃I'll　help　you。〃

After　the　death　of　Hiram　Bodley；　Joe　and　two　of　the　lake　guides　had　managed　to　repair　one　room　of　the　broken…down　cabin；　and　from　this　the　funeral　had　taken　place。

The　room　contained　a　bed；　a　table；　two　benches　and　a　few　dishes　and　cooking　utensils　The　floor　was　bare　and　the　window　was　broken　out。　　It　was　truly　a　most　uninviting　home。

〃Of　course　you　are　not　going　to　stay　here；　now　you　are　alone？〃　said　Ned；　after　a　look　around。

〃I　don't　know　where　else　to　go；　Ned。〃

〃Why　not　move　into　town！〃

〃Perhaps　I　will。　　But　I　want　to　find　that　blue　box　before　I　decide　on　anything。〃

Without　delay　the　two　boys　set　to　work　among　the　ruins；　looking　into　every　hole　and　corner　they　could　think　of　and　locate。　　They　pulled　away　heavy　boards　and　logs；　and　Joe　even　got　a　spade　and　dug　up　the　ground　at　certain　points。

〃It　doesn't　seem　to　be　here；〃　said　Ned；　after　an　hour　had　passed。

〃It　must　be　here；〃　cried　Joe。

〃Perhaps　it　was　buried　under　a　tree。〃

〃That　may　be　true。　　Anyway；　I　am　certain　it　is　somewhere　around　this　cabin。〃

After　that　the　hunt　was　continued　for　another　hour；　and　they　visited　several　spots　in　that　locality　where　Joe　thought　the　blue　box　might　have　been　placed。　　But　it　was　all　to　no　purpose；　the　box　failed　to　come　to　light。

At　last　the　two　boys　sat　down　on　a　bench　in　front　of　the　cabin。　　Both　were　tired　out；　Ned　especially　so。　　Joe　was　much　downcast　and　his　friend　did　what　he　could　to　cheer　him　up。

〃The　box　is　bound　to　come　to　light　some　day；〃　said　Ned。　　〃That　is；　unless　some　of　those　men　carried　it　off。〃

〃What　men；　Ned？〃

〃The　fellows　who　helped　to　mend　the　cabin　just　before　the　funeral。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　think　they　would　steal　the　box。　Bart　Andrews　and　Jack　Thompson　are　as　honest　as　the　day　is　long。〃

〃Well；　it's　mighty　queer　you　can't　find　some　trace　of　the　blue　box。〃

The　boys　talked　the　matter　over　for　some　time；　and　then　Ned　announced　that　he　must　go　home。

〃You　can　go　with　me　if　you　wish；〃　he　said。　　〃It　will　be　better　than　staying　here　all　alone。〃

But　Joe　declined　the　offer。

〃I'll　stay　here；　and　begin　the　hunt　again　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；〃　he　said。

〃Well；　if　you　want　anything；　come　and　see　me；　Joe；　won't　you？〃

〃I　will；　Ned。〃

Ned　had　come　over　in　his　own　boat　and　now　Joe　walked　down　to　the　lake　with　him。　　His　friend　gone；　the　hermit's　boy　returned　to　the　delapidated　cabin。

He　was　hungry　but　he　had　no　heart　to　eat。　He　munched　some　bread　and　cheese　which　a　neighbor　had　brought　over。　　He　felt　utterly　alone　in　the　great　worlds　and　when　he　thought　of　this　a　strange　feeling　came　over　him。

It　was　a　bitter　night　for　the　poor　boy；　but　when　morning　came　his　mind　was　made　up。　He　would　make　his　own　way　in　the　world；　asking　aid　from　no　one；　not　even　Ned。

〃And　if　I　can't　find　the　blue　box　I'll　get　along　without　it；〃　he　told　himself。

As　soon　as　it　was　light　he　procured　breakfast　and　then　started　on　another　hunt　for　the　missing　box。　　The　entire　day　was　spent　in　the　search；　but　without　results。　　Towards　night；　Joe　went　down　to　the　lake。　　Here　he　caught　a　couple　of　small　fish；　which　he　fried　for　his　supper。

All　told；　Joe　had　exactly　a　dollar　and　a　half　of　his　own　and　nine　dollars　which　he　had　found　in　the　hermit's　pocketbook。

〃Ten　dollars　and　a　half；〃　he　mused；　as　he　counted　the　amount　over。　　〃Not　very　much　to　go　out　into　the　world　with。　　If　I　want　to　do　anything　in　town　I'll　have　to　buy　some　clothes。〃

From　this　it　will　be　surmised　that　Joe　was　thinking　of　giving　up　his　roving　life　around　the　lake　and　mountains；　and　this　was　true。

Hunting　and　fishing　appealed　to　him　only　in　an　uncertain　way；　and　he　longed　to　go　forth　into　the　busy　world　and　make　something　of　himself。

He　had　two　suits　of　clothing；　but　both　were　very　much　worn；　and　so　were　his　shoes　and　his　cap。　　Hiram　Bodley　had　left　some　old　clothing；　but　they　were　too　big　for　the　boy。

〃I　guess　I'll　get　Jasok　the　peddler　to　come　up　here　and　make　me　an　offer　for　what　is　here；〃　he　told　himself。

Jasok　was　a　Hebrew　peddler　who　drove　around　through　the　lake　region；　selling　tinware　and　doing　all　sorts　of　trading。　　It　was　time　for　him　to　visit　that　neighborhood　and　Joe　went　to　the　nearest　house　on　the　main　road　and　asked　about　the　man。

〃He　will　most　likely　be　along　to…morrow；　Joe；〃　said　the　neighbor。

〃If　he　comes；　Mr。　Smith；　will　you　send　him　over　to　my　place？　　Tell　him　I　want　an　offer　for　the　things。〃

〃Going　to　sell　out；　Joe？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　after　that？〃

〃Try　for　some　job　in　town。〃

〃That's　a　good　idea。　　Hunting　and　fishing　isn't　what　it　used　to　be。　　What　do　you　want　for　the　things？〃

〃All　I　can　get；〃　and　a　brief　smile　hovered　on　Joe's　face。

〃I　wouldn't　sell　out　too　cheap。　　Jasok　is　a　great　fellow　to　drive　a　bargain。〃

〃If　he　won't　give　me　a　fair　price；　I'll　load　the　things　on　the　rowboat　and　sell　them　in　town。〃

〃That's　an　idea。　　Do　you　want　to　sell　Hiram's　double…barrel　shot　gun？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃I'll　give　you　ten　dollars　for　it。〃

〃I　was　going　to　ask　twelve；　Mr。　Smith。　It's　a　pretty　good　gun。〃

〃So　it　is；　although　it　is　a　little　bit　old…fashioned。　　Well；　bring　it　over　and　I'll　allow　you　twelve　dollars；〃　answered　the　neighbor；　who　was　willing　to　assist　Joe　all　he　could。

Joe　went　back　for　the　gun　without　delay；　and　received　his　money。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　cabin　and　brought　out　all　the　goods　he　wished　to　sell。

By　the　middle　of　the　next　day　the　Hebrew　peddler　appeared。　　At　first　he　declared　that　all　of　the　things　Joe　had　to　sell　were　not　worth　two　dollars。

〃Very　well；　if　you　think　that；　we　won't　talk　about　it；〃　said　Joe；　briefly。

〃Da　vos　all　vorn　out；〃　said　Jasok。　　〃De　clothes　vos　rags；　and　de　furniture　an'　dishes　was　kracked。〃

〃If　you　don't　want　them；　I'll　take　them　to　town　and　sell　them。　　I　am　sure　Moskowsky　will　buy　them。〃

Now　it　happened　that　Moskowsky　was　a　rival　peddler　who　also　boasted　of　the　ownership　of　a　second…hand　store。　　To　think　that　the　goods　might　go　to　this　man　nettled　Jasok　exceedingly。

〃Vell；　I　likes　you；　Cho；〃　he　said。　　〃I　vos　your　friend；　an'　I　gif　you　dree　dollars　for　dem　dings。〃

〃You　can　have　them　for　ten　dollars；〃　answered　the　boy。

A　long　talk　followed；　and　in　the　end　the　Hebrew　peddler　agreed　to　pay　seven　dollars　and　a　half；　providing　Joe　would　help　to　carry　the　goods　to　the　main　road；　where　the　wagon　had　been　left。　　The　money　was　paid　over；　and　by　nightfall　all　of　the　goods　were　on　the　wagon；　and　Joe　was　left　at　the　cabin　with　nothing　but　the　suit　on　his　back。　　But　he　had　thirty　dollars　in　his　pocket；　which　he　counted　over　with　great　satisfaction。

〃I　ought　to　be　able　to　get　something　to　do　before　that　is　gone；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃If　I　don't；　it　will　be　my　own　fault。〃



CHAPTER　V。


A　NEW　SUIT　OF　CLOTHES。


On　the　following　day　it　rained　early　in　the　morning；　so　Joe　had　to　wait　until　noon　before　he　left　the　old　cabin。　　He　took　with　him　all　that　remained　of　his　possessions；　including　the　precious　pocketbook　with　the　thirty　dollars。　When　he　thought　of　the　blue　box　he　sighed。

〃Perhaps　it　will　never　come　to　light；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃Well；　if　it　does　not　I'll　have　to　make　the　best　of　it。〃

Two　o'clock　found　him　on　the　streets　of　Riverside；　which　was　a　town　of　fair　size。　　During　the　summer　months　many　visitors　were　in　the　place　and　the　hotels　and　boarding　houses　were　crowded。

There　was　one　very　fine　clothing　store　in　Riverside；　but　Joe　did　not　deem　it　best；　with　his　limited　capital；　to　go　there　for　a　suit。　　Instead　he　sought　out　a　modest　establishment