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CHAPTER XXII. THE OTHER PASSENGER.
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 Dodger1 sought the steward2, and asked for his valise.
 
“Isn’t it in your stateroom?” asked that functionary3.
 
“I haven’t seen it.”
 
“I remember now. It was put with the luggage of the other passenger. I will show it to you.”
 
He took Dodger to a part of the ship where freight was stored, and pointed4 to a sizable valise with a card attached to it on which was inscribed5 the name: “Arthur Grant.”
 
“This must be yours,” he said.
 
“Yes, I suppose so,” answered Dodger, glad to have found out the new name which had been given him, otherwise he would have supposed the valise belonged to some other person.
 
He took the valise to his stateroom, and, finding a key tied to the handles, he opened it at once.
 
It proved to contain a very fair supply of underclothing, socks, handkerchiefs, etc., with a tooth brush, a hair brush and comb, and a sponge. Never in his life had Dodger been so well supplied with clothing before. There were four white shirts, two tennis shirts, half a dozen handkerchiefs and the same number of socks, with three changes of underclothing.
 
“I begin to feel like a gentleman,” said Dodger to himself, complacently6.
 
That was not all. At the bottom of the valise was an envelope, sealed, on which was inscribed the name: “Dodger.”
 
“That is for me, at any rate,” thought our hero. “I suppose it is from Curtis Waring.”
 
He opened the envelope, and found inclosed twenty-five dollars in bills, with a few lines written on a half-sheet of paper. These Dodger read, with interest and curiosity. They were as follows:
 
“Dodger:—The money inclosed is for you. When you reach California you will find it of use. I have sent you out there because you will find in a new country a better chance to rise than in the city of New York. I advise you to stay there and grow up with the country. In New York you were under the influence of a bad man, from whom it is best that you should be permanently7 separated. I know something of the early history of Tim Bolton. He was detected in a crime, and fled to escape the consequences. You are not his son, but his nephew. Your mother was his sister, but quite superior to himself. Your right name is Arthur Grant, and it will be well for you to assume it hereafter. I have entered you in the list of passengers under that name.
 
“I thought you had taken the will from my uncle’s desk, but I am inclined to think you had nothing to do with it. If you know where it is, or whether Bolton has it, I expect you to notify me in return for the money I have expended8 in your behalf. In that case you can write to me, No. — Madison Avenue.
 
“Curtis Waring.”
 
Dodger read the letter over twice, and it puzzled him.
 
“He seems from the letter to take an interest in me,” he soliloquized. “At any rate, he has given me money and clothes, and paid my passage to California. What for, I wonder? I don’t believe it is to get me away from the bad influence of Tim. There must be some other reason.”
 
There was another part of the letter with which Dodger did not agree.
 
Curtis asserted positively9 that he was the nephew of Tim Bolton, while he was positive that there was no relationship between them.
 
In that case Curtis must have been an early acquaintance of Tim’s. At any rate, he seemed to know about his past life.
 
Dodger now comprehended his present situation fully10. He was a passenger on the ship Columbia, and there was no chance of leaving it. He had ascertainel on inquiry11 that the vessel12 would not put in anywhere, but would make the long voyage direct. It would be over four months, at any rate, before he could communicate with Florence, and in the meantime, she and Mrs. O’Keefe, whom he recognized as a good friend, would conclude that he was dead.
 
It was very provoking to think that he could not even telegraph, as that would relieve all anxiety, and he felt sure that Florence was enough his friend to feel anxious about him.
 
He had just closed up his valise, when a young man of dark complexion13 and of an attractive, intellectual expression, entered the cabin.
 
He nodded pleasantly to Dodger, and said:
 
“I suppose this is Arthur Grant?”
 
“Yes, sir,” answered Dodger, for he had decided14 to adopt the name.
 
“We ought to become close friends, for we are, I believe, the only passengers.”
 
“Then you are a passenger, too?” said Dodger, deciding, after a brief scrutiny15, that he should like his new acquaintance.
 
“Yes. My name is Randolph Leslie. I have been, for the last five years, a reporter on leading New York daily papers, and worked so closely that my health has become somewhat affected16. My doctor recommended a sea voyage, and I have arranged for a pretty long one.”
 
“What papers have you worked for?”
 
“Oh, all the leading ones—Tribune, World, Herald17, and Sun—sometimes one, and sometimes another. Your reason for taking this trip can hardly be the same as mine. You don’t look as if your health required you to travel.”
 
“No,” answered Dodger, smiling; “but I understand that the gentleman who engaged my passage said I was going to sea for my health.”
 
“If I were as robust18 as you, I shouldn’t give much thought to my health. Do you intend to remain in California?”
 
“I don’t know what I do intend,” replied Dodger. “I didn’t know I was going to California at all until I woke up in my stateroom.”
 
The young man looked surprised.
 
“Didn’t you know the destination of the vessel when you came on board?” he asked.
 
“I was brought aboard in my sleep.”
 
“This is curious. It looks to me as if you had a story to tell.
 
“Of course, I don’t want to be curious, but if there is anyway in which I can help you, by advice, or in any other way, I am quite ready to do so.”
 
Dodger paused, but only briefly19. This young man looked friendly, and might help him to penetrate20 the mystery which at present baffled him.
 
At any rate, his experience qualified21 him to give friendly advice, and of this Dodger felt that he stood in need.
 
“I ought to tell you, to begin with,” he said, “that I am a poor boy, and made my living as best I could, by carrying baggage, selling papers, etc.”
 
“I don’t think any the worse of you for that. Did you live at the lodging22 houses?”
 
“No; until lately I lived with a man who keeps a saloon on the Bowery, and tended bar for him.”
 
“What was his name? As a reporter I know the Bowery pretty well.”
 
“Tim Bolton.”
 
“Tim Bolton? I know his place well. I think I must have seen you there. Your face looked familiar to me as soon as I set eyes on you.”
 
“Very likely. A good many people came into Tim’s. I couldn’t pretend to remember them all.”
 
“Was Tim a relative of yours?”
 
“I don’t believe he was. I always thought that he got hold of me when I was a kid. I don’t remember the time when I wasn’t with him.”
 
“I suppose you have always lived in New York?”
 
“No; I lived for several years in Australia. Tim was in the same business there. I came on with him a year or more since.”
 
“Do you think you ever lived in New York before?”
 
“Yes; Tim has told me that I was born in New York.”
 
“I understand that you have left Tim now?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Why, may I ask?”
 
“Because I didn’t like the business he was in. But I liked it better than the one he wanted me to go into.”
 
“What was that?”
 
“Burglary.”
 
The young reporter started in surprise.
 
“Well,” he said, “this is a new tack23 for Tim. However, I never looked upon him as a man who would shrink from any violation24 of the laws, except murder. I don’t think he would do that.”
 
“No; Tim isn’t quite so bad. He isn’t the worst man alive, though he is a rather hard customer. It was his wanting me to enter a house on Madison Avenue and open a desk that led to me going on this trip.”
 
“Tell me about it, if you don’t mind.”
 
Thus invited, Dodger told his story to Randolph Leslie, keeping nothing back.
 
He finished by showing him the letter he had found in the valise.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 dodger Ku9z0c     
n.躲避者;躲闪者;广告单
参考例句:
  • They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
  • Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。
2 steward uUtzw     
n.乘务员,服务员;看管人;膳食管理员
参考例句:
  • He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
  • He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员,到过世界各地。
3 functionary 1hLx9     
n.官员;公职人员
参考例句:
  • No functionary may support or cover up unfair competition acts.国家官员不得支持、包庇不正当竞争行为。
  • " Emigrant," said the functionary,"I am going to send you on to Paris,under an escort."“ 外逃分子,”那官员说,“我要把你送到巴黎去,还派人护送。”
4 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
5 inscribed 65fb4f97174c35f702447e725cb615e7     
v.写,刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 );内接
参考例句:
  • His name was inscribed on the trophy. 他的名字刻在奖杯上。
  • The names of the dead were inscribed on the wall. 死者的名字被刻在墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 complacently complacently     
adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地
参考例句:
  • He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
  • "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装,"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
7 permanently KluzuU     
adv.永恒地,永久地,固定不变地
参考例句:
  • The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
  • The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。
8 expended 39b2ea06557590ef53e0148a487bc107     
v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽
参考例句:
  • She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
  • The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 positively vPTxw     
adv.明确地,断然,坚决地;实在,确实
参考例句:
  • She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
  • The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。
10 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
11 inquiry nbgzF     
n.打听,询问,调查,查问
参考例句:
  • Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
  • The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
12 vessel 4L1zi     
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管
参考例句:
  • The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
  • You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。
13 complexion IOsz4     
n.肤色;情况,局面;气质,性格
参考例句:
  • Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
  • Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。
14 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
15 scrutiny ZDgz6     
n.详细检查,仔细观察
参考例句:
  • His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好,但是经不起仔细检查。
  • Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。
16 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
17 herald qdCzd     
vt.预示...的来临,预告,宣布,欢迎
参考例句:
  • In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
  • Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。
18 robust FXvx7     
adj.强壮的,强健的,粗野的,需要体力的,浓的
参考例句:
  • She is too tall and robust.她个子太高,身体太壮。
  • China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道,中国希望保持经济强势增长,以减少贫困和失业状况。
19 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地,简短地
参考例句:
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
20 penetrate juSyv     
v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解
参考例句:
  • Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
  • The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。
21 qualified DCPyj     
adj.合格的,有资格的,胜任的,有限制的
参考例句:
  • He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
  • We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。
22 lodging wRgz9     
n.寄宿,住所;(大学生的)校外宿舍
参考例句:
  • The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
  • Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?
23 tack Jq1yb     
n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝
参考例句:
  • He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
  • We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。
24 violation lLBzJ     
n.违反(行为),违背(行为),侵犯
参考例句:
  • He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说,那是违反规则的。
  • He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。


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