He found himself in a scene of activity. The shelves were filled with goods, and behind the counters were numerous salesmen. No one took any notice of Jed at first till a tall, stout1 man, in walking across the room, espied2 him.
"Any one waiting on you, young man?" he asked.
"No," answered Jed.
"Here, Wilkins," said the floor-walker,[Pg 193] "attend to this young man. What house do you represent?"
"None, sir," answered Jed uncomfortably, feeling out of place.
The great merchant is now dead, but at the time of Jed's call he was living.
"Wilkins, you may take the letter and carry it to Mr. Claflin."
Wilkins took the letter from Jed's hands, walked across the room, and ascended5 to Mr. Claflin's office on the second floor. He reappeared within five minutes and signaled to Jed to approach.
"Mr. Claflin will see you," he said. "Follow me."
"Are you Mr. J. Gilman?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," answered Jed, blushing.
[Pg 194]
"You bring a letter from—" here Mr. Claflin referred to a note—"from a man who calls himself Hamilton Barry?"
"Yes, sir."
"I don't know any such man. How did he happen to offer you a letter?"
"I told him I wanted a position."
"Exactly. Did he say he knew me?"
"Yes, sir. He said he used to go to school with you."
Mr. Claflin laughed.
"Did he borrow any money from you?"
"Yes," answered Jed, surprised that the merchant should have guessed this.
"Not much, I hope."
"Two dollars."
"That was all?"
"No, sir; he treated me to some sarsaparilla and did not have the money to pay for it."
"He is evidently a fraud and an impostor. Did he say he ever worked for me?"
"No, sir; he said he was an editor—that he wrote articles for the daily papers."
"When did he offer to repay you?"
[Pg 195]
"Next Monday, when he had received pay from the Tribune for some articles he had written."
"What was the man's appearance?"
"He was tall, and not very well dressed."
"It is hardly likely that he ever wrote an article for the Tribune or any other of the city dailies. I hope he did not get all your money?"
"No, sir. I have considerable besides."
Mr. Claflin turned to a letter which he was writing, and Jed felt that he was dismissed. Mr. Claflin had said nothing about taking him into his employment, and he went down stairs feeling mortified9 and depressed10.
Mingled11 with these feelings was one of anger at having been so cruelly deceived by his steamboat acquaintance.
"I'd just like to meet him again!" soliloquized Jed, involuntarily doubling up his fist.
"I wonder whether he really writes for the Tribune?" he asked himself.
[Pg 196]
He decided12 to solve this question at once, though he had not much doubt on the subject. He wanted to know exactly what he had to depend on.
He walked up to Broadway, then down to the City Hall Park, and asked a boy whom he met, "Where is the Tribune office?"
"There it is across the park," said the boy, pointing to a tall building with a lofty tower. "What do you want to do—sell papers?"
"No," answered Jed. "I want to ask about one of the editors."
"You're from the country, ain't you?"
"Yes. What makes you think so?"
"Because all the boys in the city know the Tribune building. Say, what do you do for a livin'?" inquired the boy confidentially13.
This was rather a puzzling question, but Jed, remembering that he had been on the stage for a time, felt justified14 in answering, "I am an actor."
"Cracky! you don't say. You ain't little Lord Fauntleroy, are you?"
"No; I played the telegraph boy in the play of 'The Gold King.'"
[Pg 197]
"How did you like it?" asked the newsboy, becoming interested.
"Very much."
"Are you goin' to play it again?"
"No; I took the place of the regular actor for a few weeks while he was sick. Now he is well, and I am not needed."
"Say, does actin' pay well?" asked the boy curiously.
"I was paid pretty well."
"Do you think you could get me a chance?"
"I am afraid I can't get another chance myself."
The newsboy had no more questions to ask, and Jed, following directions, crossed the park and the street beyond to the Tribune building.
He entered the office, and walked up to a window, beyond which stood a young man who was handing out papers to a purchaser who wanted some back numbers.
Jed presented himself next, and the clerk looked at him inquiringly.
[Pg 198]
"No; I want to ask whether you have an editor named Hamilton Barry?"
"I don't think so. Why do you ask?"
"He borrowed some money of me, and said he would pay me when he collected some money due him from the Tribune."
The clerk smiled.
"I am sure none of our editors borrow money from boys," he said. "You have been imposed upon, young man."
"I guess you are right," responded Jed, coloring.
"If you like, I will send up to the city editor to inquire if there is a man named Barry in his department."
"I guess I won't trouble you."
Jed turned away quite satisfied in his own mind that he had been cleverly swindled and would never see his two dollars again. He reflected that it might have been more, and stoutly16 resolved not to let any designing persons wheedle17 him out of any more money.
He had never visited New York before, and the streets were all new to him. So he strolled about for a couple of hours, gazing[Pg 199] curiously at shops, buildings, streets, and street scenes.
This naturally led to a feeling of hunger, and at twelve o'clock he began to look around for a restaurant. He found one on Fulton Street, and went in.
He took a seat on the right-hand side, about midway up the room, and consulted the bill of fare. He found that roast meats were fifteen and twenty-five cents, the latter being for large plates. Tea and coffee were five cents each, and pie or pudding was ten cents.
He ordered a large plate of roast beef, feeling quite hungry, and a cup of coffee.
Jed had about half finished his dinner when his attention was drawn18 by a familiar voice at the next table. Looking up, he saw that two men had entered the restaurant since he had been served and were sitting with their backs to him. One of them he recognized, with a thrill of excitement, as his acquaintance of the morning, Hamilton Barry.
"I say, Barry," said his companion, "you've had a streak19 of luck. How do you happen to be in funds?"
[Pg 200]
"I negotiated a loan, my boy."
"That is interesting. Would the party accommodate me, do you think?"
"Explain."
"He was looking for a position, and I gave him a letter of introduction to H. B. Claflin."
The friend burst into a fit of laughter.
"I admire your cheek," he said. "What do you know of Claflin?"
"I told him that Claflin and I went to school together."
"A lie, of course?"
"Yes; I never set eyes on the man in my life."
"And on the strength of that you negotiated a loan."
"How much?"
"I struck him for a five, but he only let me have two."
"Which, of course, you promised to repay."
[Pg 201]
"I told him I would repay him next Monday when the Tribune paid me for two editorial articles I wrote for them."
It may be imagined with what feelings of indignation poor Jed listened to these rascals23, and understood how adroitly24 he had been swindled. He felt tempted25 to get up and address the man who had swindled him in fitting terms, but concluded to wait until he had finished his dinner.
He felt particularly angry when Barry ordered a high-priced dish—a plate of roast turkey—to be paid for with his money.
At last his dinner was over, and taking the check in his hand, Jed made his way to the table in front.
"Mr. Barry," he said as calmly as he could, "I believe you owe me two dollars. I shall be glad if you will pay me now."
Barry looked up quickly, and actually seemed embarrassed when he recognized Jed.
"Confusion!" he ejaculated. "The kid!"
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2
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
retail
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| v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格 | |
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4
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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7
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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8
questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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9
mortified
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| v.使受辱( mortify的过去式和过去分词 )；伤害（人的感情）；克制；抑制（肉体、情感等） | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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11
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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12
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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confidentially
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| ad.秘密地，悄悄地 | |
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14
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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15
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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16
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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17
wheedle
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| v.劝诱，哄骗 | |
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18
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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19
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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20
plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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21
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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22
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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23
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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24
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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