Facing the World. Alger Horatio Jr.

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СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      “And did he bring back the tablecloth?”

      “Of course, he did, and that wasn’t all. He brought me a ten-dollar bill to pay for the use of it.”

      “Gave you a ten-dollar bill!” exclaimed John Fox, in amazement. “That was very wrong.”

      “You hadn’t no claim on the money if you are his guardeen. A collection was took up by the passengers, and given to the boy, and he thought I ought to have pay for use of the tablecloth, so he gave me a ten-dollar bill—and a little gentleman he is, too.”

      “A collection taken up for my ward?” repeated Fox, pricking up his ears. “Well, well! that is news.”

      John Fox was already on his way back to the road. He was anxious to find his ward.

      CHAPTER III

      HARRY DISAGREES WITH HIS GUARDIAN

      Harry and his guardian met at the dinner table. Mrs. Fox had provided a boiled dinner, to which Harry was ready to do justice.

      Mr. Fox seemed unusually pleasant.

      “I find, Harry,” he said, clearing his throat, “that you have already been distinguishing yourself.”

      “Then you heard of the narrow escape of the train?” said Harry.

      “Yes, I heard that but for your presence of mind, and Mrs. Brock’s tablecloth, there would have been a smash-up.”

      “What on earth are you talkin’ about, John Fox?” demanded his wife, curiously.

      “Well, you see, Maria, the rain of last night washed away part of the railroad track, and the train would have been plunged into a gully if our young boarder here hadn’t seen the danger, and, borrowin’ a tablecloth from Mrs. Brock, signaled the train.”

      “You don’t say?”

      “That isn’t all,” resumed John Fox. “The passengers took up a contribution, and I expect gave quite a handsome sum to our young friend.”

      “How much did the folks give you?” asked Joel eagerly.

      “I’ve got fifteen dollars left,” he replied. “I gave some money to Mrs. Brock for the use of the tablecloth.”

      John Fox looked disappointed and disgusted.

      “You don’t mean to say,” he ejaculated, sharply, “that you gave away almost half of your money for the use of an old tablecloth that would be dear at a dollar?”

      “If I hadn’t had the tablecloth, I couldn’t have attracted the engineer’s attention,” said Harry, mildly.

      There was a little more conversation on the subject, but Harry remained tranquil, and did not appear disturbed by the criticisms elicited by his conduct. He heartily hoped that his guardian’s family would not find out how large a sum he had received.

      When dinner was over, Harry was about to leave the house, when John Fox said, insinuatingly: “Don’t you think you’d better give me that money to keep for you? It will be safer in my hands.”

      “Thank you, Mr. Fox,” said Harry, “but I think I can take care of it myself.”

      “Fifteen dollars is a good deal of money for a boy like you to carry round with you,” said his guardian.

      “I don’t think I shall lose it, sir,” replied the boy.

      “Perhaps not, but you will be tempted to spend it wastefully.”

      John Fox didn’t look amiable. He was in doubt whether he might not properly take from his ward the money by force, but it occurred to him that it would be better not to assert his authority quite so soon.

      “We will speak of this again,” he said.

      “It is well I didn’t bring all the money home. I wonder how soon Mr. Fox will make another attempt to secure the sum I have with me,” thought Harry.

      The attempt was made that same night.

      Harry was afraid he would be expected to occupy the same room with Joel, in which case he could hope for no privacy, and would be unable to conceal his money, which he had little doubt his guardian intended to secure, either by fair means or foul. It chanced, however, that Joel slept in a small bedroom opening out of his parents’ chamber. So Harry was assigned an attic room, in the end of the house, the sides sloping down to the eaves. It was inferior to the chambers on the second floor, but our hero was not disposed to complain. He valued solitude more than superior finish.

      Harry’s suspicion was roused by the circumstance that his guardian did not again refer to his money, nor did he manifest any disappointment at his ward’s declining to intrust him with it.

      During the evening, Joel brought out a backgammon board, and proposed to Harry to play. If there would have been anything to read Harry would have preferred entertaining himself in that way, but Mr. Fox didn’t appear to be literary. There were a few books in the house, but they were not of an attractive character.

      Partly in backgammon, partly in conversation with the son and heir of the Foxes, the time passed till half-past eight o’clock.

      “Joel, you can go to bed,” said his mother. “It is half-past eight.”

      Joel yawned, and interposed no objection.

      “You may as well go, too, Harry,” said Mrs. Fox.

      “I am ready to go to bed,” said Harry.

      In fact, he felt rather sleepy, and anticipated little pleasure in sitting up in the far from exciting company of Mr. and Mrs. Fox.

      “Joel!” said his mother, “take this candle and show Harry upstairs in the attic chamber.”

      “Yes, mam.”

      So, preceded by Joel, Harry went up two flights of stairs to the attic room reserved for him. It was the only room that had been finished off, and the garret outside looked dark and forbidding.

      “I would be scared to sleep up here,” said his companion.

      “I shall not be at all frightened, Joel,” said Harry.

      “Good-night. Just hold the candle while I go downstairs.”

      When he was fairly all alone, Harry began to look about him, to ascertain in what kind of quarters he was to pass the night. To begin with he examined the door, he ascertained that it was a common latch door, and there was no lock. There was nothing to prevent anyone entering the room during the night. There was a small cot bed in one corner, a chair, and an old wooden chest. There was no bureau nor washstand. The absence of the latter annoyed Harry.

      He learned afterward that he was expected to go downstairs and wash in a large basin in the kitchen sink—wiping his face on a brown, roll towel which was used by the entire family. This was quite unsatisfactory to Harry, who was scrupulously neat in his tastes.

      “This isn’t a palace exactly,” Harry said to himself.

      Then came the thought, “What СКАЧАТЬ