CHAPTER XXIII. WHERE JASPER FOUND DICK.

 To find the address given by the kidnapper¹ was not difficult. It was only necessary to look over a plan of the city, which Jasper did in Mr. Fitch's counting-room.

 

"Come back when your business is over," said the merchant.

 

"I will," said Jasper.

 

He set out with one hundred and fifty dollars in his pocket for 132 S—— Street.

 

We will precede him.

 

It was a shabby house of two stories, with a wide front. It looked dilapidated and neglected, but except that it was in an unsavory neighborhood there was nothing to draw attention to it, or lead to the impression that it was the haunt of lawbreakers and desperate characters.

 

In a back room sat three men, one of whom we recognize as the kidnapper, Dick, alias² Mark Mortimer. Of the other two, one was under twenty-five, with a reckless, dare-devil look, as of one who would stop at little in his criminal schemes. He had more than once been engaged in burglary, but as yet had escaped detection.

 

The third was a stout³, square-built man, of middle age, with a heavy, brutal⁴ face, such as might belong to a prize-fighter. He, too, was a burglar, an accomplished⁵ counterfeiter⁶, a gambler, who supplemented luck by various swindling devices, in which he was an adept⁷. This man was known as Slippery Bill, while his young companion was Jack⁸, with a choice of last names.

 

The three men were playing a game of euchre, with a pack of greasy⁹ cards. The time was half-past eleven in the forenoon.

 

"It's most time for the boy to come," said Dick, looking toward the clock.

 

"How do you know but he'll give you the slip?" suggested Jack.

 

"If he did I'd break his neck!" exclaimed Dick, hastily. "But he won't. Leastways he won't if he can help it."

 

"It strikes me, Dick," said Bill, "that you ought never to have asked him to come here."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Who's to tell but he may bring company?" continued the stout man.

 

"What kind of company?"

 

"The police."

 

"He won't," said Dick.

 

"How do you know?"

 

"I'll trust him. He's a good 'un."

 

"How long have you known him, that you speak with so much confidence?" inquired the younger man.

 

"Since yesterday morning," answered Dick, cornered.

 

The two men burst into a boisterous¹⁰ laugh.

 

"Why, Dick, you're as innocent as a baby. You haven't knowed this chap more'n twenty-four hours, and you'll stake your life on him."

 

"Laugh as much as you like," said Dick, stubbornly. "I ought to speak up for my own nephew."

 

"Your nephew!" exclaimed his two companions, in surprise. "What do you mean?"

 

"What I say. He's my sister's son."

 

"A minute ago you said you never saw him till yesterday," said the stout man, suspiciously.

 

"No more I did. My sister lives at the East."

 

"Has she sent him to you to be brought up in the way he should go?" asked Jack, with a sneer¹¹.

 

"No; the boy's run away. He came across me by chance."

 

"That's better," said Bill, partially¹² reassured¹³. "He won't be likely to betray you—not now—but he may inform against this place."

 

"I'll answer for him."

 

"Are you going to let him go as soon as he brings the money, or will he stay with you?"

 

"Oh, he'll go. I can't take care of a lad like him. I've other fish to fry."

 

"Suppose we keep him and train him up to our business?"

 

"He ain't the right sort for that."

 

"Shows the white feather, eh?"

 

"No; he's as brave as any boy I ever saw."

 

"What's the matter, then?"

 

"He's too honest and virtuous¹⁴."

 

"What! your nephew, Dick?" and the two men laughed loudly. "That's too thin. Don't ask us to swallow that."

 

"It's true."

 

"Why did he run away from home, then?"

 

"My sister's got a very rough temper—that's why."

 

"We can believe that," said Jack, "better than the other."

 

"Look here, Jack," said Dick, who was getting irritated, "you may find that I've got the same kind of temper if you keep on badgering me about the boy. I say he's to be trusted."

 

"He can be trusted under our eye. Have you any objection to our detaining him?"

 

"There's no need."

 

"I say there is. You've let him into the knowledge of this place. He'll blow on us some day."

 

"Do as you like," said Dick; "I don't care. I wash my hands of the responsibility."

 

"That's all we want," said Bill. "We need a young one to help us in our plans. If this nephew of yours is as brave as you say, he'll do. What time was he to come here?"

 

"Twelve."

 

"Then it's a minute past the time. I don't think he'll come."

 

"The clock may be wrong." said Dick, but he glanced uneasily at the clock, which now indicated a little past the hour.

 

His suspense¹⁵ was not a long one.

 

An old man, thin and shriveled, with a crafty¹⁶ eye, and a thin, squeaking¹⁷ voice, here put his head in at the door.

 

"Is Mr. Mark Mortimer here?" he asked.

 

"That's me!" exclaimed Dick, jumping up eagerly.

 

"There's a boy wants to see you, Mr. Mark Mortimer," said the old man, repeating the name as if he enjoyed it.

 

"It's my nephew," said Dick.

 

"Is his name Mortimer, too?" asked the proprietor¹⁸ of the establishment, for such the old man was.

 

"Never mind," said Dick, impatiently. "Bring the boy in."

 

Almost directly Jasper was ushered¹⁹ into the room—fearlessly, but looking about him with some curiosity.

 

The two men, who had not before seen him, surveyed him with equal curiosity.

 

"He does you credit," said the stout man.

 

"He's what I was at his age," said Dick. "Now, boy, have you got the money?"

 

"Yes," said Jasper.

 

"One hundred and fifty dollars?"

 

"Yes."

 

Dick's eyes glistened²⁰.

 

"Give it here. You're a trump²¹. Did old Fitch make any difficulties?"

 

"No; he was glad to get the boy back."

 

"Did he ask you about me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"How much did you tell him?" demanded the kidnapper, hastily.

 

"Nothing. I told him that I had made a promise not to tell."

 

Dick looked triumphantly²² at his two companions.

 

"Didn't I tell you?" he said.

 

"You have the boy's word for it," said Jack, with a quiet sneer. "How did you find your way here, boy?"

 

"I looked at a map of the city," answered Jasper.

 

"Where?"

 

"In the office of Mr. Fitch."

 

"Where did you pass last night?"

 

"At the house of Mr. Fitch."

 

"Where are you going when you leave here?"

 

"I have promised to go to Mr. Fitch's counting-room."

 

"You seem to be very intimate with this gentleman," said Jack.

 

"There's nothing strange in that," said Jasper, quietly. "It was I who carried his boy home."

 

"The boy is right," said Dick, who, having obtained his money, felt graciously disposed toward our hero, through whose agency he had obtained it.

 

"What does he want of you?" asked Jack, continuing the cross-examination.

 

"I hope he is going to help me to a place," answered Jasper.

 

"No need of going to him," said the stout man. "We'll give you employment."

 

"You!" repeated Jasper, with an attentive²³ glance, which took in the man's disreputable appearance.

 

"Yes, if you deserve it. What do you say?"

 

"I feel obliged for your offer," said Jasper, "but having promised Mr. Fitch to return, I would prefer to do so."

 

"Boys," interrupted Dick, at this point, "I'm sorry to leave this festive²⁴ crowd, but I've got other business to attend to, and must be going."

 

"I'll go with you," said Jasper, who was anxious to leave the place.

 

"No, you don't, just yet," said Jack, rising, and striding between Jasper and the door. "We'll have a drink all around first."

 

"Thank you," said Jasper, "I don't drink."

 

"You must drink now. It's the law of this establishment."

 

"All right, Jasper," said Dick. "I'll treat. You can drink what you like, though."

 

Jasper felt that it would be politic²⁵ to comply, and chose lemonade.

 

"I'll order the drinks," said Jack, and he left the room for that purpose.

1 kidnapper   

n.绑架者，拐骗者

参考例句：

• The kidnapper was shot dead then and there by the armed policeman.绑架者被武装警察当时当地击毙。
• The kidnapper strangled the child with a piece of string.绑票的人用一根绳子把这孩子勒死了。

2 alias   

n.化名；别名；adv.又名

参考例句：

• His real name was Johnson,but he often went by the alias of Smith.他的真名是约翰逊，但是他常常用化名史密斯。
• You can replace this automatically generated alias with a more meaningful one.可用更有意义的名称替换这一自动生成的别名。

4 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

5 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

6 counterfeiter   

n.伪造者

参考例句：

• If the illegal gains are very large the counterfeiter shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than seven years and be fined. 对于违法所得数额巨大的，处3年以上7年以下有期徒刑，并处罚金。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Judge: (asking a counterfeiter) Why do you make false money? 法官：（威严地问假币制造者）你为什么制造假币？ 来自互联网

7 adept   

adj.老练的，精通的

参考例句：

• When it comes to photography,I'm not an adept.要说照相，我不是内行。
• He was highly adept at avoiding trouble.他十分善于避开麻烦。

8 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

9 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

10 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。

11 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

12 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

13 reassured   

adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 virtuous   

adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的

参考例句：

• She was such a virtuous woman that everybody respected her.她是个有道德的女性，人人都尊敬她。
• My uncle is always proud of having a virtuous wife.叔叔一直为娶到一位贤德的妻子而骄傲。

15 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

16 crafty   

adj.狡猾的，诡诈的

参考例句：

• He admired the old man for his crafty plan.他敬佩老者的神机妙算。
• He was an accomplished politician and a crafty autocrat.他是个有造诣的政治家，也是个狡黠的独裁者。

17 squeaking   

v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者

参考例句：

• Squeaking floorboards should be screwed down. 踏上去咯咯作响的地板应用螺钉钉住。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Can you hear the mice squeaking? 你听到老鼠吱吱叫吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

19 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 glistened   

v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

22 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

23 attentive   

adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的

参考例句：

• She was very attentive to her guests.她对客人招待得十分周到。
• The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

24 festive   

adj.欢宴的，节日的

参考例句：

• It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。
• We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

25 politic   

adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政

参考例句：

• He was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage.他很聪明，不会与这么重要的人争吵。
• The politic man tried not to offend people.那个精明的人尽量不得罪人。