Mike Hogan was a fit representative of this class. He was a low-browed ruffian, with unkempt hair and a beard of a week’s growth, with a look in his eyes that inspired distrust.
He was physically3 strong, and abundantly able to work, but preferred to dispense4 with labor5, and live on the credulity or the fears of his fellow men.
Mike had served a term at Sing Sing, but punishment in no way altered his way of life. If anything, it confirmed him in his opposition6 to the law and his worthless habits.
He had been on the tramp now for two weeks, and accident had brought him to the neighborhood of Hamilton a couple of days before.
Mike had already made two calls, though he had only been an hour in the village. The first was to the house of Mr. Ross, the lawyer.{74}
The master of the house was not at home, but Herbert was in the front yard. In fact, he was sitting on the doorstep, whittling7.
Mike’s experience taught him that children are generally less suspicious, and more easily moved to compassion8, than their elders.
He therefore addressed himself with some confidence to Herbert, of whose disposition9 he knew nothing, or he would not have expected any help from him or through his influence.
“Young gentleman,” he said, in a whining10 voice, as he rested his elbows on the top of the front gate, “I am a poor man——”
Herbert looked up, and surveyed the uncouth11 visitor with profound disdain12. He always despised the poor, and made little discrimination between the deserving and the undeserving.
“You don’t look very rich,” he said, after a pause.
His tone was not particularly compassionate13, but Mike did not detect the nature of his feelings.
“Indeed, young sir,” he continued, in the same whining tone, “I have been very unfortunate.”
“You have seen better days, I suppose,” said Herbert, who had not the slightest idea of giving Hogan anything, but meant to play{75} with him as a cat does with a mouse before sending him away.
“Yes, I have,” said Hogan. “Once I was prosperous, but ill health and misfortune came, and swept away all my money, and now I have to travel around and ask a few pennies of kind strangers.”
“Why don’t you go to work? You look strong enough,” said Herbert.
“Why don’t I work? I ain’t able,” answered the tramp.
“You look strong enough.”
“You shouldn’t judge by looks, young gentleman. I have fever ’n’ ager awful, and the rheumatism15 is in all my joints16. You look rich and generous. Can’t you spare a few pennies for a poor man?”
“You mustn’t judge by looks,” said Herbert, laughing at his own repartee17. “My father’s rich, but he don’t give anything to tramps.”
Now the professional tramp, although quite aware of his own character, objects to being called a tramp. He does not care to see himself as others see him.
“I am not a tramp. I’m an honest, poor man.”{76}
“Honest!” repeated Herbert. “I shouldn’t wonder if you had just come out of State’s prison.”
This remark Mike Hogan considered altogether too personal. The fact that it was true made it still more offensive. His tone completely changed now, and, instead of a whine, it became a growl19, as he retorted:
“You’d better keep your tongue between your teeth, young whipper-snapper! You can’t insult me because I am a poor man.”
“You’d better look out,” said Herbert, angrily. “My father’s a lawyer, and a justice of the peace, and he’ll have you put in the lockup.”
“Come out here, and I’ll wring20 your neck, you young villain21!” said Mike Hogan, whose evil temper was now fully22 aroused.
“I wish father was here,” said Herbert, indignantly.
“I’d lick you both, and make nothing of it!” exclaimed the tramp.
“Go away from here! You have no business to lean on our gate!”
“I shall lean on it as long as I please!”{77} said the tramp, defiantly25. “Are you coming out here?”
If Mike Hogan had been a small boy, Herbert would not have been slow in accepting this invitation, but there was something in the sinister26 look and the strong, vigorous frame of Mike Hogan which taught him a lesson of prudence27.
Herbert had never before wished so earnestly that he were strong and muscular. It would have done him good to seize the intruder, and make him bellow28 for mercy, but his wish was fruitless, and Mike remained master of the situation.
At this moment, however, he was re-enforced by his dog, Prince, who came round from behind the house.
“Bite him, Prince!” exclaimed Herbert, triumphantly29.
Prince needed no second invitation. Like the majority of dogs of respectable connections, he had a deep distrust and hatred30 of any person looking like a beggar or a tramp, and he sprang for the rough-looking visitor, barking furiously.
If Herbert expected the tramp to take flight it was because he did not know the courage and ferocity of Mike Hogan. Some dogs, doubtless, would have made him quail31, but Prince{78} was a small-sized dog, weighing not over fifty pounds, and, as the animal rushed to attack him, Mike gave a derisive32 laugh.
“Why don’t you send a rat or a kitten?” he exclaimed, scornfully.
Prince was so accustomed to inspire fear that he did not stop to take the measure of his human adversary33, but sprang over the fence and made for the tramp, intending to fasten his teeth in the leg of the latter.
But Mike Hogan was on the alert. He bent34 over, and, as the dog approached, dexterously35 seized him, threw him over on his back, and then commenced powerfully compressing his throat and choking him.
Poor Prince seemed utterly36 powerless in his vigorous grasp. His tongue protruded37 from his mouth, his eyes seemed starting from their sockets38, and death by strangulation seemed imminent39.
“Let him go! Don’t kill him!” he screamed.
“Let him go, and he shan’t bite you!” said Herbert.
“I will take care of that myself,” said{79} Hogan. “When I get through with him, you’ll have to bury him.”
“That sounds better,” said Mike Hogan, moderating his grip. “Where’s the quarter?”
Herbert hurried to the fence and handed over the coin.
Mike took it, and, with a laugh, tossed the almost senseless dog into the yard, where he lay gasping43 for breath.
“If you’ve got any more dogs, bring ’em on,” he said, with a laugh. “Next time, you’ll know how to treat a gentleman.”
Herbert had a retort on the end of his tongue, but did not dare to utter it. He had been too much impressed and terrified by the tramp’s extraordinary display of strength to venture to provoke him further.
“Well,” thought Hogan, chuckling44, “I made the boy come down with something, after all. I paid him well for his impudence45.”
Continuing on his way he stopped at a house where he was offered some cold meat, but no money. Being hungry, he accepted, and again continued his march.
In passing Mrs. Gordon’s house his attention was attracted by the sound of voices. Thinking it possible that he might hear something{80} which he could turn to advantage, he placed himself in a position where he could overhear what was said.
His eyes sparkled when he heard Miss Sally speak of the large sum of money she had in the house.
“Ho, ho!” said he, to himself, “I’m in luck. You won’t need to carry that money to the bank, my lady. I’ll take care of it for you. As for this boy who is to guard it, I’ll scare him out of his wits!”
When Sally Peabody left the cottage of Mrs. Gordon she was not aware that her steps were tracked by one of the most reckless and desperate criminals in the State.
He followed her far enough to learn where she lived and then concealed46 himself in the woods until the time should come for active operations.
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1
lurk
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| n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏 | |
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alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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6
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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7
whittling
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| v.切，削（木头），使逐渐变小( whittle的现在分词 ) | |
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8
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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15
rheumatism
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| n.风湿病 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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17
repartee
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| n.机敏的应答 | |
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18
whine
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| v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣 | |
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19
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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20
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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21
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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23
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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25
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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26
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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28
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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31
quail
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| n.鹌鹑；vi.畏惧，颤抖 | |
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derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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dexterously
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| adv.巧妙地，敏捷地 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
sockets
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| n.套接字，使应用程序能够读写与收发通讯协定(protocol)与资料的程序( Socket的名词复数 )；孔( socket的名词复数 )；（电器上的）插口；托座；凹穴 | |
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39
imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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40
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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41
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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42
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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43
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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44
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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45
impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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46
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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