CHAPTER XIII A SWINDLE EXPOSED

 When Nat came back from lunch he was introduced to Harry¹ Bray², and Hamilton Dart³ brought forth⁴ several packages of old bills and letters and also a couple of cheap blank books.

 

"I want these things sorted out," said he. "Enter all names in the books, and file them away according to date."

 

This seemed easy work, and both of the young clerks said they understood what was wanted. Then Hamilton Dart put on his hat and left the office.

 

"I won't be back this afternoon," he said. "Lock up at five o'clock, and you, Bray, can take the key."

 

"Yes, sir," answered Harry Bray.

 

"This isn't very hard," was Nat's comment, when he was left alone with his fellow clerk.

 

"It is about as easy a job as I ever struck," answered Harry Bray.

 

"It's queer there are no customers coming in," said Nat, an hour later. "Mr. Dart must do most of his business outside."

 

"A good many brokers⁵ do, Nat. They have to hustle⁶ for business or they don't get any."

 

The afternoon passed, and at the proper time Nat left the office and went home.

 

"You've certainly struck a soft snap," said Dick, when the country boy had related his experience. "Wish I could strike a snap like that."

 

"Perhaps you will some day," answered Nat. "Come, I'll give you a lesson in writing and figures to-night," and he did. Dick was a bright scholar, so it proved a pleasure more than a task to teach him.

 

Promptly⁷ on time the following morning, Nat went to the office. At the door he met Harry Bray, who had just come in from his home on Staten Island. They opened up the office together, one doing the sweeping⁸ and the other the dusting.

 

"In most places like this, the office boy or the janitor⁹ does such work," said Harry.

 

"I don't mind it in the least," answered Nat.

 

"Oh, neither do I."

 

They began on their work where they had left off, and about an hour later their employer put in an appearance.

 

"Hard at it, eh?" he said, cheerily. "That's the way I like to see things move. Nat, I want you to go to the post office again."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

In a few minutes our hero had departed, and then Hamilton Dart turned to Harry Bray.

 

"Bray, here is an important document to deliver to a party living near Central Park," said he. "Deliver it, and get a receipt."

 

"I will, sir," answered Harry Bray, and in a minute more he, too, was gone.

 

An hour later there was a knock on the door, and the sick man, who had called the day before, came in.

 

"Is that situation still open?" he questioned, anxiously.

 

"Why do you ask?" demanded Hamilton Dart, abruptly¹⁰.

 

"I was going to say that I borrowed that money from my sister."

 

"Oh! Have you it with you?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Then, if you wish the job, you can take it right now. Another man is coming to see me about it in an hour."

 

"I'll take the job," said Oliver Ripple¹¹, quickly, and brought forth his money. Hamilton Dart took it, and gave his usual receipt.

 

"What interest do I get on this?" asked the new clerk, anxiously.

 

"Six per cent."

 

"Thank you. I told my sister I thought as much. She had the money in the bank, but that only paid her three per cent. Six per cent. will be twice as good."

 

"You may come to work to-morrow morning at nine," said Hamilton Dart.

 

"I'll go to work to-day, if you say so, Mr. Dart."

 

"No, my other clerks can take care of the work to-day. Both of them are now out on errands."

 

When Oliver Ripple was gone, Hamilton Dart smiled broadly to himself.

 

"Three of them," he murmured. "That's not so bad, after all. I wonder if that chap who was to come at half-past ten will show up?"

 

When Nat left the post office he found no letters for Samuel Barrows.

 

"Mr. Dart will be disappointed again," he thought. "But it is not my fault."

 

The afternoon passed quietly. Only one man called at the office, and when he found Hamilton Dart was not in he disappeared immediately.

 

That evening Nat gave Dick another lesson, for which the newsboy was very grateful.

 

"No wonder you got that job," said Dick. "You can figure like lightning, and write fine, too."

 

"I don't have to figure much at the office."

 

"How do you like your boss?"

 

"I haven't really seen enough of him to make up my mind."

 

"He must be full of business."

 

"I suppose that is so."

 

When Nat went to the office on the following day he again met Harry Bray at the entrance. They went upstairs together, and found two men standing¹² in the hallway, near the door of the office. As soon as they entered the place the men followed them.

 

"Neither of these young chaps is the man," said one of the newcomers, in a low voice.

 

"Where is Mr. Hamilton Dart?" asked the other.

 

"I can't say, sir," answered Harry Bray. "He may be here shortly."

 

"Are you a partner in this concern?"

 

"No, sir. I am a clerk."

 

"Are you a clerk, too?" asked the man, turning to Nat.

 

"Yes, sir. Is there anything we can do for you?"

 

"Don't know as there is, young man," was the short answer. "We'll wait here for Mr. Dart."

 

A half-hour passed and Oliver Ripple put in an appearance.

 

"Where is Mr. Dart?" he asked, gazing around.

 

"He is not here yet," answered Nat.

 

"I am his new clerk. He engaged me yesterday, and told me to come to work this morning."

 

At this speech the two men who had come in gazed at the sick man curiously¹³.

 

"So you were engaged yesterday?" asked one in a low tone.

 

"Yes."

 

"Excuse me, but I'd like to know if you put up any money as security?"

 

"I did—a hundred dollars."

 

"Ah!" And each of the two men looked at his companion significantly.

 

"Do you know Mr. Dart?" asked the sick man.

 

"We know of him."

 

"He does quite a business, doesn't he?"

 

"He does—in his own way," was the suggestive answer.

 

At that moment came a tramping on the stairs. Then the office door was thrown open, and Hamilton Dart appeared.

 

"There he is!" cried one of the men. "Just as I thought!"

 

He started for the doorway¹⁴, but Hamilton Dart was too quick for him. He backed away, leaped for the stairs, and went down flight after flight, four and five steps at a time. Both men gave chase, but by the time they reached the sidewalk the swindler had disappeared.

 

"Hullo! what can this mean?" cried Nat, in quick alarm. "I must say I don't like this."

 

"Those men are after Mr. Dart," came from Harry Bray.

 

"You mind the office—I'll see what is up," went on Nat, and followed down the stairs.

 

"He is gone, Parsons," said one of the men.

 

"You are sure it was our man?"

 

"Yes, confound the luck. He got away like a slippery eel¹⁵."

 

"Did Mr. Dart run away from you?" asked Nat.

 

"That's what he did, young man."

 

"What did he run for?"

 

"Perhaps you know as well as I do."

 

"No, I don't."

 

"How long have you worked for that man?"

 

"Only a few days."

 

"What about that other chap upstairs?"

 

"He came to work about the time I did."

 

"And that pale-looking man, too?"

 

"I don't know any more about him than you do."

 

"Did you place any money in your employer's hands?"

 

"Yes, a hundred dollars. And Harry Bray, the other clerk, put up the same amount."

 

"Humph! I reckon you've seen the last of your cash."

 

"What!" cried Nat, aghast. "Do you mean that?"

 

"I sure do."

 

"But—but——" Our hero was so staggered he could not continue for the moment.

 

"This Hamilton Dart—or whatever he calls himself—is a first-class swindler."

 

"A swindler!" Nat fell up against the doorway. "I—I—then my money is gone?"

 

"More than likely."

 

"Oh, what a fool I've been! And I thought he was such a gentleman."

 

"He has fooled lots of folks besides you, young man," said one of the men, kindly¹⁶, for he saw that Nat was hard hit.

 

"He isn't a business man at all?"

 

"He is a confidence man from Chicago."

 

By this time, feeling certain something was wrong, Harry Bray and Oliver Ripple came below.

 

"What do you mean by confidence man?" asked Nat, doubtfully.

 

"He is a swindler; one of the kind that can tell a good story in order to get your money."

 

"Who is a swindler?" demanded Harry Bray.

 

"Our employer," cried Nat. "He has run away with our money."

 

"Has Mr. Dart run away?" asked the sick man, nervously¹⁷.

 

"Yes."

 

"Oh! And to think I borrowed that money from my poor sister!" came with a cry of anguish¹⁸, and then the sick man sank on the hallway stairs, thoroughly¹⁹ overcome.

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 bray   

n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫

参考例句：

• She cut him off with a wild bray of laughter.她用刺耳的狂笑打断了他的讲话。
• The donkey brayed and tried to bolt.这头驴嘶叫着试图脱缰而逃。

3 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

6 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

7 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

8 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

9 janitor   

n.看门人，管门人

参考例句：

• The janitor wiped on the windows with his rags.看门人用褴褛的衣服擦着窗户。
• The janitor swept the floors and locked up the building every night.那个看门人每天晚上负责打扫大楼的地板和锁门。

10 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

11 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

12 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

13 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

14 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

15 eel   

n.鳗鲡

参考例句：

• He used an eel spear to catch an eel.他用一只捕鳗叉捕鳗鱼。
• In Suzhou,there was a restaurant that specialized in eel noodles.苏州有一家饭馆，他们那里的招牌菜是鳗鱼面。

16 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

17 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

18 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

19 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。