"Yes, sir."
"You had a pleasant time, I presume?"
"Yes, sir," answered Jed, wondering to what all these questions tended.
"I suppose Dr. Redmond put himself out to entertain such a distinguished1 guest?"
"No, Mr. Fogson, I don't think he did."
"He didn't make arrangements to run the poorhouse, with your help, did he?"
"No," answered Jed with emphasis.
"We ought to be thankful, Mrs. Fogson and I, humbly2 thankful, that we ain't to be turned out by this high and mighty3 doctor."
"If you don't like the doctor you had better tell him so," said Jed; "he don't need me to defend him."
[Pg 60]
"How could I tell?"
"Well, sir, I suppose you had a right to. I hope you had a pleasant call."
"I did, and what's more, I told him of Dr. Redmond's impertinent interference with me in my management of the poorhouse. He told me not to pay any attention to Redmond, but to be guided by him. So long as he was satisfied with me, it was all right."
"You'd better tell Dr. Redmond that when he calls here next time."
"I shall; but there's something I've got to say to you. He said I had a perfect right to take the dollar from you, for as a pauper6 you had no right to hold property of any kind. That's what Squire Dixon says. Now hand over that money, or you'll get into trouble."
"I wouldn't give the money to Squire Dixon himself," answered Jed boldly.
"You wouldn't, hey? I'll tell him that. You'll give it to me to-night, though."
He put out his hand to seize Jed, but the[Pg 61] boy quietly moved aside, and said, "You can't get the money from me to-night, Mr. Fogson."
"Why can't I? There's no Dr. Redmond to take your part now. Why can't I, I'd like to know?"
"Because I haven't got it."
"What!" exclaimed Fogson. "Do you mean to say you've spent it already? If you have——"
"No, I haven't spent it, but I have given it to Dr. Redmond to keep for me."
Fogson showed in his face his intense disappointment. He expected to get the money without fail, and lo! the victory was snatched from him.
"You'll go and get the money in the morning," he said. "You and Dr. Redmond are engaged in a conspiracy8 against the town and the laws, and I am not sure but I could have you both arrested. Mind, if that money is not handed to me to-morrow you will get a thrashing. Now go to bed!"
[Pg 62]
Jed was not sorry to avail himself of this permission. He had not enjoyed the interview with Mr. Fogson, and he felt tired and in need of rest. Accordingly he went up stairs to the attic9, where there was a cot bed under the bare rafters, which he usually occupied. There had been another boy, three months before, who had shared the desolate10 room with him, but he had been bound out to a farmer, and now Jed was the sole occupant.
Tired as he was, he did not go to sleep immediately. He undressed himself slowly in the obscurity, for he was not allowed a lamp, and made a movement to get into bed.
But a surprise awaited him. His extended hand came in contact with a human face, and one on which there was a mustache. Somebody was in his bed!
Naturally, Jed was startled.
"Who are you?" he inquired.
"You're in my bed," said Jed, annoyed as well as surprised.
"Where is my bed?" hiccoughed the other.
[Pg 63]
"I don't know. How did you get in here?"
"I came in when no one was lookin'," answered the intruder. "Zis a hotel?"
"No; it's the Scranton poorhouse."
"You don't say? Dad always told me I'd end up in the poorhouse, but I didn't expect to get there so quick."
"You'd better get up and go down stairs. Fogson wouldn't like to have you stay here all night."
"Who's Fogson?"
"He is the manager of the poorhouse."
"Who cares for Fogson? I don't b'lieve Fogson is a gen'leman."
This was the last word that he could get from the intruder, who coolly turned over and began to snore.
Fortunately for Jed, there was another cot bed—the one formerly13 occupied by the other boy—and he got into it.
Fatigued14 by the events of the day, Jed soon slept a sound and refreshing15 sleep. In fact his sleep was so sound that it is doubtful[Pg 64] whether a thunderstorm would have awakened16 him.
Towards morning the occupant of the other bed turned in such a way as to lie on his back. This position, as my readers are probably aware, is conducive17 to heavy snoring, and the intruder availed himself of this to the utmost.
Mr. and Mrs. Fogson slept directly underneath18, and after awhile, the door leading to the attic being open, the sound of the snoring attracted the attention of Mrs. Fogson.
"Simeon!" she said, shaking her recumbent husband.
"Did you hear that?"
"Did I hear what?"
"That terrific snoring. It is loud enough to wake the dead."
By this time Fogson was fairly awake.
"So it is," he assented. "Who is it?"
"Jed, of course. What possesses the boy to snore so?"
"Can't say, I'm sure. I never heard a boy of his age make such a noise."
[Pg 65]
"It must be stopped, Simeon. It can't be more than three o'clock, and if it continues I shan't sleep another wink20."
"Well, go up and stop it."
"It is more suitable for you to go, Mr. Fogson. I do believe the boy is snoring out of spite."
Even Fogson laughed at this idea.
"He couldn't do that unless he snored when he was awake," he replied. "It isn't easy to snore when you are not asleep. If you don't believe it, try it."
"I am ashamed of you, Simeon. Do you think I would demean myself by any such low action? If that snoring isn't stopped right off I shall go into a fit."
"I wouldn't like to have you do that," said Fogson, rather amused. "It would be rather worse than hearing Jed snore."
"A little hot water would fix him," said Fogson. "It is a pity you had not saved your hot water till to-night."
"Cold water would do just as well."
[Pg 66]
"So it would. Mrs. F., that's a bright idea. I owe the boy a grudge22 for giving his money to Dr. Redmond. I'll go down stairs and get a clipper of cold water, and I'll see if I can't stop the boy's noise."
Mr. Fogson went down stairs, chuckling23, as he went, at the large joke he was intending to perpetrate. It would not be so bad as being scalded, but it would probably be very disagreeable to Jed to be roused from a sound sleep by a dash of cold water.
"I hope he won't wake up before I get there," thought Mr. Fogson, as he descended24 to the kitchen in his stocking feet to procure25 the water.
He pumped for a minute or two in order that the water might be colder, and then with the dipper in hand ascended26 two flights of stairs to the attic.
Up there it was still profoundly dark. There was but one window, and that was screened by a curtain. Moreover, it was very dark outside. Mr. Fogson, however, was not embarrassed, for he knew just where Jed's bed was situated27, and, even if he had not, the loud[Pg 67] snoring, which still continued, would have been sufficient to guide him to the place.
"It beats me how a boy can snore like that," soliloquized Fogson. "He must have eaten something at Dr. Redmond's that didn't agree with him. If I didn't know it was Jed I should feel frightened at such an unearthly hubbub28. However, it won't continue long," and Fogson laughed to himself as he thought of the sensation which his dipper of water was likely to produce.
He approached a little nearer, and in spite of the darkness could see the outlines of a form on the bed, but he could not see clearly enough to make out the difference between it and Jed's.
He poised29 himself carefully, and then dashed the water vigorously into the face of the sleeping figure.
The results were not exactly what he had anticipated.
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1
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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6
pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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7
pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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9
attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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10
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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11
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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12
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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15
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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16
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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17
conducive
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| adj.有益的，有助的 | |
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underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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19
drowsily
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| adv.睡地，懒洋洋地，昏昏欲睡地 | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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23
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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24
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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25
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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26
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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28
hubbub
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| n.嘈杂；骚乱 | |
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29
poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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