CHAPTER XXX. JED ENTERTAINS AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

 Though the trial of the harbor thieves was expedited, it was a week before Jed and Mr. Roper were able to leave New York. Jed's testimony¹ settled the matter, and the two thieves were sentenced to terms of five years' imprisonment².

 

"I'll get even with you yet, young fellow!" muttered the sallow-faced man, eyeing Jed with deep malignity³ as he left the witness-box.

 

"Where is your trunk?" asked Mr. Roper after their first visit to the office of the harbor police.

 

"I never owned one, Mr. Roper."

 

"Your valise, then."

 

"It is at a small hotel near the Battery."

 

"Get it and bring it on board the yacht."

 

Jed did so, and Mr. Roper asked to see it.

 

"You are poorly equipped, Jed," he said. "That reminds me that if I am going to [Pg 271]monopolize your services I must pay you some salary. How will fifty dollars a month answer?"

 

"But, Mr. Roper, I can't earn as much as that."

 

"Perhaps not, but if I am willing to pay it, you can set your mind at rest. I will see that you are better provided with clothing, undergarments, et cetera. Here, give me a piece of paper."

 

Mr. Roper drew up a list of articles which he thought Jed might need—a very liberal list, by the way—and sent him with a note to his own tradesmen, with directions to supply him with such articles as he might select. He also gave him an order on his own tailor for a suit of clothes.

 

"But, Mr. Roper, it will take me a long time to pay for all these out of my wages," protested Jed.

 

Schuyler Roper laughed.

 

"My dear boy," he said, "I haven't the least idea of making you pay for them. Just look upon me as your older brother, who is able and willing to provide for you."

 

[Pg 272]

 

"I am deeply grateful to you, Mr. Roper," responded Jed earnestly. "I certainly stumbled into luck when I boarded your yacht."

 

"I don't know how it is," said Roper, as he eyed Jed thoughtfully, "you didn't seem a stranger to me even when I first saw you. It seemed natural for me to look after you. I am an only son, and you never knew what it was to have a brother. I begin to think that I have lost a great deal in being so much alone."

 

"You may be deceived in me, Mr. Roper. You know very little of me, and that is not at all to my advantage."

 

"Well, I admit that, Jed. Considering that I caught you in the act of robbing me, I may be said to have known you at your worst."

 

"You know nothing of my past life."

 

"You shall tell me all about it after a while, when we are not so busy."

 

Meanwhile Jed became familiar with his duties on board the yacht, and during the absence of Mr. Roper was regarded by the men as his representative.

 

No one could have treated him with more[Pg 273] generous confidence than his new friend. Jed was intrusted at times with considerable sums for disbursements, and was proud of the confidence reposed⁴ in him. Of Mr. Roper, except that he appeared to be a rich young man, he knew next to nothing, till one day he fell in with his watering-place friend, Howell Foster.

 

"You are still with Schuyler?" he asked.

 

"Oh yes, sir. I am going with him to Bar Harbor."

 

"And then?"

 

"I believe he means to keep me with him."

 

"You are in luck. Schuyler is a generous, open-hearted young man, liberal to a fault, and ready to do anything for one he takes to. I suppose you know that he is rich?"

 

"I thought he must be."

 

"His father died two years since, leaving him half a million of dollars. He spends freely, but does not squander⁵ his money. He is paying for the college education of a poor boy in whom he feels an interest—the son of an old bookkeeper of his father's—as I happen to know. He is a favorite in society, but has never shown an inclination⁶ to marry."

 

[Pg 274]

 

"Is his mother living?" asked Jed.

 

"No; she died before his father. He is very much alone in the world."

 

"That is why he is so generous to me, I think."

 

"Perhaps so, but it is his nature to be kind. By the way, Jed, when my family comes back from Sea Spray I would like to have you call upon us. We live on Madison Avenue."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Foster. If I am in New York I shall be glad to do so."

 

"I begin to think I am getting into society," thought Jed. "It is not over three months since I left the Scranton poorhouse, and here I am adopted by one rich man and welcomed at the house of another."

 

It was natural that Jed should feel elated by his good luck. But he was not allowed to forget his early adversity, for on the fourth day after entering the service of Mr. Roper he met on Broadway, just above Chambers⁷ Street, his old enemy, Percy Dixon.

 

Percy was the first to recognize him.

 

"Oh it's you, is it?" he said in considerable surprise.

 

[Pg 275]

 

Jed smiled. He felt that he could afford to disregard Percy's impertinence.

 

"My dear friend Percy," he said. "How well you remember me!"

 

"Yes, I remember you, and so does Mr. Fogson of the Scranton poorhouse."

 

"Remember me to the kind old man!" said Jed comically.

 

"How soon are you going back?"

 

"Not very soon. Of course it would be pleasant to me to be able to see you every day, Percy, but——"

 

"You needn't flatter yourself that I would take any notice of you. What are you doing for a living?"

 

"I am going yachting in a few days."

 

"What! Oh, I understand. You have hired out as a sailor."

 

"Well no, not exactly."

 

"What yacht are you working on?"

 

"Perhaps you would like to visit it?"

 

"Yes, I would," said Percy, feeling puzzled and curious.

 

"Come to the Battery with me, then. We'd better board the next car."

 

[Pg 276]

 

Percy followed Jed into a Broadway car, and Jed, to his surprise, paid the fare.

 

"I was going to pay the fare," said Percy.

 

"Oh never mind!" returned Jed carelessly.

 

"I don't want to put you to expense."

 

"Oh! it's not worth minding."

 

Arrived at the Battery, Jed called a boatman and said, "Row me out to the Juno, beyond Governor's Island."

 

Jed leaned back in the boat, and Percy stared at him in wonder. When they reached the yacht one of the men produced a ladder, and Jed led the way on board.

 

"Any orders, Mr. Gilman?" asked the sailor respectfully.

 

"No, Kimball; I haven't seen Mr. Roper since morning, and don't know if he wants anything done."

 

"Do you think you can spare me to go on shore for a couple of hours?"

 

"Yes, you may go."

 

Jed went to the side and said to the boatman, "You may take this man on shore, and come back in an hour and a half for my friend and myself.

 

[Pg 277]

 

"Now, Percy, allow me to offer you a little refreshment⁸."

 

Jed went to the pantry and brought out some cold meat, bread and butter, and two bottles of ginger⁹ ale, with the necessary dishes.

 

"I can't offer you anything very tempting," he said, "but the boat ride may have given you an appetite for plain fare."

 

Percy could hardly conceal¹⁰ his surprise. He stared at Jed as if fascinated.

 

"Won't you get into trouble by making so free with your master's things?"

 

"Who told you I had a master?"

 

"Who owns this yacht?"

 

"Mr. Schuyler Roper."

 

"He must be rich."

 

"I hear that he is worth half a million dollars," said Jed in an off-hand manner.

 

"And how did you get in with him?" asked Percy rather enviously¹¹.

 

"It was an accident," answered Jed, by no means disposed to tell Percy the particulars of his first meeting with Mr. Roper.

 

"Suppose he should come now, what would he say to your making so free?"

 

[Pg 278]

 

"That he was glad to have me entertain my friends."

 

"You seem to be pretty sure of your footing with him."

 

"I have reason to be. He tells me to look upon him as an older brother."

 

"He may find you out some time," suggested Percy with disagreeable significance.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"He may find out that his younger brother was raised in a poorhouse."

 

"I have no doubt he will learn it if he gets acquainted with you."

 

"What do you mean?" asked Percy coloring.

 

"That you would probably tell him. By the way, has Mr. Holbrook got home from Chicago yet?"

 

"I believe not. Do you expect he will take you back?"

 

"No; I prefer my present position. I shall probably sail for Bar Harbor with Mr. Roper on Saturday."

 

"It's strange how you've got on since you left the poorhouse," said Percy uncomfortably.

 

[Pg 279]

 

"Yes; I think even you will agree that I did well to leave it."

 

"Your luck may turn," added Percy hopefully.

 

"Perhaps it will, but I hope not."

 

Presently the boatman came back, and Jed sent Percy back to the city, paying the boatman in advance.

 

"It beats all how that pauper¹² gets along!" reflected Percy, but from his expression the reflection gave him no pleasure.

 

1 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

2 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

3 malignity   

n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性

参考例句：

• The little witch put a mock malignity into her beautiful eyes, and Joseph, trembling with sincere horror, hurried out praying and ejaculating "wicked" as he went. 这个小女巫那双美丽的眼睛里添上一种嘲弄的恶毒神气。约瑟夫真的吓得直抖，赶紧跑出去，一边跑一边祷告，还嚷着“恶毒！” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Outside, the pitiless rain fell, fell steadily, with a fierce malignity that was all too human. 外面下着无情的雨，不断地下着，简直跟通人性那样凶狠而恶毒。 来自辞典例句

4 reposed   

v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Cruncher reposed under a patchwork counterpane, like a Harlequin at home. 克朗彻先生盖了一床白衲衣图案的花哨被子，像是呆在家里的丑角。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• An old man reposed on a bench in the park. 一位老人躺在公园的长凳上。 来自辞典例句

5 squander   

v.浪费，挥霍

参考例句：

• Don't squander your time in reading those dime novels.不要把你的时间浪费在读那些胡编乱造的廉价小说上。
• Every chance is precious，so don't squander any chance away!每次机会都很宝贵，所以不要将任何一个白白放走。

6 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

7 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

8 refreshment   

n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点

参考例句：

• He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
• A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。

9 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

10 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

11 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

12 pauper   

n.贫民，被救济者，穷人

参考例句：

• You lived like a pauper when you had plenty of money.你有大把钱的时候，也活得像个乞丐。
• If you work conscientiously you'll only die a pauper.你按部就班地干，做到老也是穷死。