CHAPTER XVIII. ON THE FALL RIVER BOAT.

 Dean didn't see his employer till the next morning. Mr. Kirby did not ask him where he had spent the evening previous, as Dean thought it possible he might do. Indeed he seemed in unusual good spirits, and handed his new clerk a couple of dollars to defray any expenses he might incur¹.

"Are we going to stay long in New York?" Dean ventured to ask.

"No, we go to Boston this afternoon by the Fall River line."

This was a surprise to Dean, who fancied they were bound west.

When he suggested this, Mr. Kirby said, "I have a little business to transact² in Boston first. We can go West from there as well as from New York."

Dean was not upon the whole sorry that he should have an opportunity of seeing a city so famous as Boston. "I shall feel that I am quite a traveler," he said to himself.

During the forenoon he was called upon to bid120 good-bye to Guy Gladstone. That young man had concluded his arrangements for a visit to his Indian hunting grounds, and was in a hurry to leave New York, as he was liable at any moment to meet some friend of his father's who might detain him, or ask him questions which it would embarrass him to answer.

At about fifteen minutes to five o'clock Dean and his employer went down to the foot of Murray Street, and went on board the steamer Pilgrim of the famous Fall River line. Mr. Kirby succeeded in obtaining a stateroom, with two berths⁴, and allowed Dean to occupy the upper one.

Our young hero surveyed with admiration⁵ the palatial⁶ accommodations of the great steamer; the grand saloon, the showy chandeliers, the handsome furniture and costly⁷ mirrors.

"You can amuse yourself as you please," said Kirby. "I shall be occupied till about ten o'clock, when I shall be ready to go to bed."

He showed Dean the way to the supper room, and told him he could take supper whenever he pleased. Dean availed himself of this permission, and after supper stopped at the book table in the main saloon, which was under the charge of a boy rather older than himself, arrayed in a blue uniform. This boy he found very social and agreeable. He learned that he was called Dan, but did not inquire his last name.

"Don't you get tired of traveling on the boat?" asked Dean.

121

"No."

"But it's the same thing every night."

"I have my business to attend to. That prevents it becoming monotonous⁸."

"Are you ever sea-sick?"

"No," answered Dan with a smile. "It would take a good deal to upset me now, I'm so used to it."

"Do you expect to follow the business when you're a man?"

"No, I think I shall look for a place in a wholesale⁹ store in Boston next fall. It won't pay as well at first, but it will lead to a good salary in time. I suppose you are going to Boston?"

"Yes, but not to stay."

"How long do you stay there?"

"I don't know yet. That depends upon my employer."

"The man you are traveling with?"

"Yes."

"I noticed him. He is a tall, sallow man, isn't he?"

"Yes."

"Have you been working for him long?"

"No, I've only just started."

"What do you do?"

"I am his private secretary—that's what he calls me, but I don't know yet what my duties will be."

"He don't look like a man likely to employ a private secretary," said Dan shrewdly.

"I don't know what sort of men do have secretaries," Dean said in a perplexed¹⁰ tone.

122

"Oh, governors, members of Congress, and sometimes authors. I don't suppose he's either of those three."

"I think not," answered Dean smiling.

"Well, he has a right to have one, at any rate. Do you like him?"

"I can't say I do, though I have nothing to complain of. He seems to be liberal."

"How much does he pay you, if you don't mind telling me?"

"Twenty-five dollars a month."

"And your expenses besides?"

Dean nodded.

"My, that's fine pay. I'd be a private secretary myself for that."

"If he wants two, I'll recommend you."

"You can tell all you know about me," said Dan laughing.

"That wouldn't be much, but I can judge of you by your looks."

"Thank you. I couldn't recommend your employer very highly on that ground."

Here two or three customers came up and inquired of the young news-agent about some of the latest novels. Dean, seeing that his friend was occupied, went to the after part of the boat, and seating himself on a camp stool watched with interest the progress of the vessel¹¹ and the shores so far as they were visible. It was now dusk, and shadows played over the surface of the water.

Meanwhile where was Mr. Kirby?

123

After a hearty¹² supper in the dining saloon he smoked a cigar on the lower deck, and then began to wander about the steamer, choosing especially the walk that ran between the outside staterooms and the side railing.

As he stood beside the railing a stout¹³ man looking like a prosperous merchant came out of his stateroom, and locked the door behind him. Then he passed through the nearest passage way into the saloon.

"He looks as if he might carry something of value," thought Kirby. "I'll venture to examine."

Waiting till the coast was clear he produced a pass key, of which he had managed to gain possession, and inserted it in the lock of stateroom No. 157, as we will venture to designate it.

The door opened, and Kirby entered the room.

He drew a match from his pocket, and lighting¹⁴ it looked swiftly and searchingly about him.

There was a small hand-bag on the lower berth³.

"I'd take the bag if I dared, but it is too large to put in my pocket," thought Kirby. "Perhaps I can open it."

He drew from his pocket a bunch of keys of various sizes, and tried one after another. The fourth proved to fit.

The bag, when opened, displayed a variety of contents in which Kirby was not interested. But one article attracted his attention. This was a square pasteboard box with the name of Tiffany upon it.

"I'll take that at a venture," soliloquized Kirby. "Since it bears Tiffany's name the contents must be of124 value. I won't stay any longer, for it might prove dangerous."

He relocked the bag, opened the door of the stateroom, and locking it again securely prepared to leave the spot.

He was only just in time, for the occupant of the stateroom appeared a minute later, accompanied by a younger man.

"Yes," Kirby heard him say. "I bought a watch for my daughter from Tiffany. I'll show it to you."

"A narrow escape!" murmured Kirby. "If he had found me in his stateroom, there would have been no end of a disturbance¹⁵. I got through just in time."

Kirby went into the saloon, and taking out an evening paper began to read it attentively¹⁶, or rather he appeared to, but out of the corner of his eyes he was watching for the return of the gentleman he had robbed.

He did not have long to wait. The two gentlemen came into the saloon, and one, the elder, seemed much excited.

"I tell you, Johnson," he said, "there are thieves on board. I left the watch in a pasteboard box in my hand bag less than half an hour since—indeed I think it is only fifteen minutes, and it has disappeared."

"Are you absolutely sure, Mr. Margrave?"

"Yes, for when I went to my stateroom, after coming up from the supper room, I opened the bag and saw that the box was there."

125

"And now it is gone?"

"Yes, you saw that yourself."

"But I don't see how, in the short time you were absent, any one could have got in and effected the robbery."

"Nor do I, but it was done."

"What shall you do about it?"

"Notify the officers of the boat, but I fear that won't do any good."

1 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

2 transact   

v.处理；做交易；谈判

参考例句：

• I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。
• I have been obliged to see him；there was business to transact.我不得不见他，有些事物要处理。

3 berth   

n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊

参考例句：

• She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
• They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。

4 berths   

n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位

参考例句：

• Berths on steamships can be booked a long while in advance. 轮船上的床位可以提前多日预订。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Have you got your berths on the ship yet? 你们在船上有舱位了吗？ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

6 palatial   

adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的

参考例句：

• Palatial office buildings are being constructed in the city.那个城市正在兴建一些宫殿式办公大楼。
• He bought a palatial house.他买了套富丽堂皇的大房子。

7 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

8 monotonous   

adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的

参考例句：

• She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
• His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。

9 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

10 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。

11 vessel   

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。

12 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

14 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

15 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

16 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》