CHAPTER III. HOW TOM GOT ON.

 About this time Tom took account of stock. He had come out to California with the noble and praiseworthy purpose of earning money to help his father pay off the mortgage on his little farm. He was the more anxious to succeed, because two hundred dollars of the amount had been raised to defray his expenses across the continent. The mortgage, amounting now to twenty-two hundred dollars, was held by Squire¹ Hudson, a wealthy resident of the same town, who hoped eventually to find an excuse for fore-closing the mortgage, and ejecting Mr. Nelson's family. He was actuated not alone by mercenary motives², but also to gratify an ancient grudge³. In early life Mrs. Nelson, Tom's mother, had rejected the suit of the wealthy squire, and this insult, as he chose to characterize it, he had never forgotten or forgiven.[Pg 28]

 

Had Tom been aware of the Squire's feelings, towards his family, he never would have been willing to have the mortgage increased for his sake, much as he wished to go to California. But neither Tom nor his father dreamed of Squire Hudson's secret animosity, and regarded his willingness to advance the extra two hundred dollars as an evidence of friendship.

 

But I have said that Tom took account of stock—in other words, ascertained⁴ how much he was worth. First, then, of the money borrowed for his trip—the original two hundred dollars—he had twenty-five dollars left over. Besides this sum, after paying all expenses, he had accumulated, by hard work and strict economy, fifty dollars' worth of gold-dust.

 

"I wish father had this money," said Tom to his tent-mate, Ferguson. "I am afraid he stands in need of it."

 

"There may be a way to send it to him, Tom."

 

"I wish there were."

 

"There's one of our party going to San Francisco[Pg 29] next week. He can buy a draft there, and send it to your father."

 

"Who is going?" asked Tom, eagerly.

 

"John Miles. You can trust him with the money, Tom."

 

"Of course I can. I'd trust John Miles with any sum."

 

"Who's that taking liberties with my name?" asked a manly⁵ voice, and John Miles himself stepped into the tent, bending his head as he entered.

 

"I hear you are going to San Francisco, John?"

 

"Yes, I start next week."

 

"Will you come back again?"

 

"I intend to. I am going to prospect⁶ a little, and buy some things for myself and Captain Fletcher."

 

"Will you do me a favor?"

 

"Of course I will, if it isn't too large a one," answered Miles.

 

Tom explained what he wished, and John Miles cordially assented⁷.[Pg 30]

 

"You're a good boy, Tom," he said, "to think of your father so soon."

 

"I feel anxious about him," said Tom. "He raised money to send me out here, and I don't want him to suffer for it."

 

"That's the right way to feel, Tom. I wish I had a father and mother to look out for," said Miles, soberly, "but you're in better luck than I. Both died when I was a mere⁸ lad. How much do you want to send?"

 

"Seventy-five dollars."

 

"Have you saved up so much already?" asked Miles, in surprise.

 

"Part of it I had left over when I got here."

 

"Will you have any left?"

 

"No."

 

"Isn't it well to reserve a little, then?"

 

"Oh, I shall have some more soon," answered Tom, sanguine⁹, as most boys are.

 

"Suppose you are sick?"

 

"If he is sick he shall suffer for nothing," said the Scotchman. "While I have money, Tom shall not feel the want of it."[Pg 31]

 

"Thank you, Mr. Ferguson," said Tom, gratefully.

 

"That old fellow has a heart, after all," thought Miles, who had been disposed to look upon Ferguson ever since their first acquaintance, as rather miserly.

 

The Scotchman was certainly frugal¹¹, and counted his pennies carefully, but he was not mean, and had conceived a strong affection for his young companion, whom he regarded much as a son or a nephew.

 

"Suppose you take the money now, John," said Tom.

 

"Shall I scribble¹² a receipt, Tom? I am afraid my writing materials have given out."

 

"I don't want any receipt," said Tom; "I'll trust you without one."

 

"Nevertheless, lad," said the cautious Scotchman, "it may be well—"

 

"Yes, Tom, Mr. Ferguson is right. Of course I know that you trust me; but if anything should happen to me,—any accident, I mean,—the paper may be useful to you."[Pg 32]

 

"Just as you like, Mr. Miles, but I don't ask it, remember that."

 

"Yes, I will remember it, and I don't mean to meet with any accident if I can help it. Mr. Ferguson, can you oblige me with a pipeful of tobacco? I'll join you in smoking."

 

Smoking was the Scotchman's solitary¹³ extravagance, not a costly¹⁴ one, however, as he never smoked cigars, but indulged only in a democratic clay pipe.

 

John Miles threw himself on the ground between Tom and his Scotch¹⁰ friend, and watched complacently¹⁵ the wreaths of smoke as they curled upwards¹⁶.

 

"Tom, you ought to smoke," he said. "You don't know how much enjoyment¹⁷ you lose."

 

"Don't tempt¹⁸ the lad," said Ferguson. "It's a bad habit."

 

"You smoke yourself."

 

"That is true, but it isn't well for a growing boy. It can do him no good."

 

"I smoked before I was as old as Tom."

 

"So did I, but I wish I had not."[Pg 33]

 

"Well, perhaps you're right, but it's a comfort when a man's tired or out of spirits."

 

"I am not troubled in that way," said Tom. "I mean with being out of spirits."

 

"Youth is a hopeful age," said the Scotchman. "When we are young we are always hoping for something good to befall us."

 

"And when one is older, how is it, Mr. Ferguson?"

 

"We fear ill more than we hope for good," he replied.

 

"Then I want to remain young as long as I can."

 

"A good wish, Tom. Some men are always young in spirit; but those that have seen the evil there is in the world find it harder to be hopeful."

 

"You speak as if you had had experience of the evil, Mr. Ferguson."

 

"So I have," answered the Scotchman slowly. Then, after a pause, "I will tell you about it: it's no secret."

 

"Not if it is going to pain you."[Pg 34]

 

"Oh, the pain is past. It's only a matter of money, and those wounds heal."

 

"Only a matter of money!" said John Miles to himself. "I must have misjudged Ferguson. I thought money was all in all with him. I did not think he would speak so lightly of it."

 

"When I was a young man," Ferguson began, "my father died, leaving me a thousand pounds, and a small annuity¹⁹ to my mother. With this money I felt rich, but I knew it would not support me, nor was I minded to be idle. So I began to look about me, to consider what business I had best go into, when a young man, about my own age, a clerk in a mercantile house, came to me and proposed a partnership²⁰. He was to put in five hundred pounds, and contribute his knowledge of business, which was greater than mine. He was a young man of good parts, and had a brisk, pleasant way with him, that made him a favorite in business circles. I thought it was a good chance, and, after taking a little time for thought, agreed to his proposal. So the firm of McIntire and Ferguson was[Pg 35] formed. We went into business, and for a time all seemed to go well. As my partner chose to keep the books, I was not so clear as I wished to be about matters, but we seemed to be prospering²¹. One morning, however, on coming to business, I found that my partner had disappeared, after possessing himself of all the money he could collect on the credit of the firm. Of course we were bankrupts, or rather I was, for he left me to bear the brunt of failure."

 

"Have you ever seen him since, Mr. Ferguson?"

 

"From that day to this—twenty years—I have never set eyes on Sandy McIntire."

 

"It was a mean trick to serve you, Ferguson," said Miles.

 

"Yes," said the Scotchman, soberly. "I minded the loss of money, but the loss of confidence was a sore thought too, after all the trust I had put in that man."

 

Presently Miles rose to go.

 

"I'll take care of your money, Tom," he said, "and do my best to get it safely to your father."[Pg 36]

 

"Thank you, John."

 

As Miles left the tent, he did not observe a crouching²² figure on the other side of it. It was the figure of Bill Crane, a crony of Missouri Jack²³, in fact, the man who helped him to fleece poor Peabody of his scanty²⁴ hoard²⁵.

 

Bill looked after Miles enviously²⁶.

 

"I wonder how much money he's got?" thought Bill. "I'd like some of it, for I'm bust²⁷. I must tell Jack. I don't dare to tackle him alone."

1 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

2 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

3 grudge   

n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做

参考例句：

• I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。
• I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

4 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 manly   

adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地

参考例句：

• The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
• He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务，并希望别人效之。

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 assented   

同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The judge assented to allow the prisoner to speak. 法官同意允许犯人申辩。
• "No," assented Tom, "they don't kill the women -- they're too noble. “对，”汤姆表示赞同地说，“他们不杀女人——真伟大！

8 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

9 sanguine   

adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的

参考例句：

• He has a sanguine attitude to life.他对于人生有乐观的看法。
• He is not very sanguine about our chances of success.他对我们成功的机会不太乐观。

10 scotch   

n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的

参考例句：

• Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。
• Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

11 frugal   

adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的

参考例句：

• He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
• The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。

12 scribble   

v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文

参考例句：

• She can't write yet,but she loves to scribble with a pencil.她现在还不会写字，但她喜欢用铅笔乱涂。
• I can't read this scribble.我看不懂这种潦草的字。

13 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

14 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。

15 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

16 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

17 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

18 tempt   

vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣

参考例句：

• Nothing could tempt him to such a course of action.什么都不能诱使他去那样做。
• The fact that she had become wealthy did not tempt her to alter her frugal way of life.她有钱了，可这丝毫没能让她改变节俭的生活习惯。

19 annuity   

n.年金；养老金

参考例句：

• The personal contribution ratio is voluntary in the annuity program.企业年金中个人缴费比例是自愿的。
• He lives on his annuity after retirement.他退休后靠退休金维生。

20 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

21 prospering   

成功，兴旺( prosper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Our country is thriving and prospering day by day. 祖国日益繁荣昌盛。
• His business is prospering. 他生意兴隆。

22 crouching   

v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• a hulking figure crouching in the darkness 黑暗中蹲伏着的一个庞大身影
• A young man was crouching by the table, busily searching for something. 一个年轻人正蹲在桌边翻看什么。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

23 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。

24 scanty   

adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的

参考例句：

• There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
• The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。

25 hoard   

n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积

参考例句：

• They have a hoard of food in the basement.地下室里有他们贮藏的食物。
• How many curios do you hoard in your study?你在你书房里聚藏了多少古玩？

26 enviously   

adv.满怀嫉妒地

参考例句：

• Yet again, they were looking for their way home blindly, enviously. 然而，它们又一次盲目地、忌妒地寻找着归途。 来自辞典例句
• Tanya thought enviously, he must go a long way south. 坦妮亚歆羡不置，心里在想，他准是去那遥远的南方的。 来自辞典例句

27 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。