CHAPTER XXVIII. A BUSINESS JOURNEY.

 We must now carry forward the story two years. It has been a profitable time for Julius. His excellent natural abilities, stimulated¹ by ambition, have advanced him very considerably² in the education which comes from books, while the hours spent in labor³ on the farm have strengthened his muscles, and developed his figure, so that he presents a strong contrast to the undersized and slender boy who came from the city streets in Mr. O’Connor’s company. The effort of generous diet also may be seen in his improved looks. He would now be regarded as quite a good-looking boy, though he privately⁴ considers himself entitled to the more dignified⁵ appellation⁶ of a young man.

I am glad to be able to record that in other ways also he has improved. As a street boy, he was not wholly free from the errors common to his class. Now he has a regard for truth, and Mr. Taylor has come to have implicit⁷ confidence in his word. He has even come to feel a paternal⁹ interest in the once neglected waif, and treats him in all respects like a son. Little Carrie, too, calls him Brother Julius, and probably feels as much affection for him as if he were her own brother.

Thus happily situated¹⁰, Julius is not troubled as to his real parentage. There is a mystery attending his origin, which he will probably never be able to solve. But he is content to regard Mr. and Mrs. Taylor as his parents, since they have allowed him to do so, and will always be known by the name of Julius Taylor.

Of course he has not forgotten his old associates, Jack¹¹ Morgan and Marlowe. About two years after his arrival in Brookville a paragraph was copied into the county paper from the New York Herald¹², recording¹³ the daring attempts of these two criminals to escape from the prison at Sing Sing. Jack Morgan was caught and brought back, but Marlowe managed to make good his escape.

“I suppose,” thought Julius, “Jack was too fat. He couldn’t get over the ground as fast as Marlowe.”

In this he was correct. Jack Morgan’s size and clumsiness had interfered¹⁴ with his escape, while Marlowe, who was not so incumbered, got away.

“Marlowe would be glad to know where I am,” said our hero to himself. “He’d like to punish me for getting him caught. But he isn’t likely to find me out here. And even if he did, I think I can take care of myself better than I could when he knew me.”

Julius surveyed his figure in the glass complacently¹⁵ as he said this. He was five feet eight inches in height, and weighed one hundred and fifty pounds. His arm was powerful; and though he could not contend on equal terms with the tall burglar, he felt that the time would soon come when he could do so.

“I wonder if he’d know me now,” thought our hero.

This question was soon to be solved, though Julius did not know it.

In the month of October Mr. Taylor proposed to Julius to set out on a collecting tour, among the towns in the neighborhood.

“I have claims against a dozen persons,” he said, “which ought to be presented and paid. At present, however, it is not convenient for me to leave home. If you will take my place, it will be quite a relief.”

“There is nothing I should like better,” said Julius, elated at the prospect¹⁶ of a journey.

“I thought you might like it,” said Mr. Taylor.

“I am glad you feel sufficient confidence in me to send me,” said our hero.

“You have given me reason to confide⁸ in you,” said Mr. Taylor, quietly. “You will judge of the extent of my confidence when I say that the bills which I shall give you to collect amount to a thousand dollars, or, perhaps, a little more.”

“I will bring back every cent,” said Julius, promptly¹⁷.

“Every cent you succeed in collecting. I have no doubt of it. The only caution I have to give you is, to guard against being robbed. If it is supposed that you have a considerable sum of money, you might be in danger of having it stolen.”

“It’ll take a smart thief to get it away from me,” said Julius, confidently. “I didn’t live fifteen years in the streets of New York for nothing. When do you want me to start?”

“To-morrow morning. I shall give you the horse and buggy, and we will plan the order of your journey to-night. You will stop at hotels, and expend¹⁸ whatever is needful. I will ask you only to keep an account of your expenses, to be submitted to me on your return.”

“Very well, sir. How long do you expect me to be gone?”

“That will depend on how much success you meet with. I should think a week might be sufficient. If you find it necessary to stay longer, do so; but let me know from time to time what progress you make in your mission.”

“Yes, sir, I’ll write to you every day.”

There are few boys of seventeen who would not have experienced pleasure in such an expedition. To have the command of a horse and buggy, to drive from town to town, putting up at hotels by night, would to most be a pleasant prospect. But Julius thoroughly¹⁹ understood that, however pleasant it might be, the motive²⁰ of his journey was business; and he resolved to exert himself to the utmost in the interests of his guardian²¹ and benefactor²².

1 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

2 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

3 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

4 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

5 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

6 appellation   

n.名称，称呼

参考例句：

• The emperor of Russia Peter I was given the appellation " the Great ".俄皇彼得一世被加上了“大帝”的称号。
• Kinsfolk appellation is the kinfolks system reflection in language.亲属称谓是亲属制度在语言中的反应。

7 implicit   

a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的

参考例句：

• A soldier must give implicit obedience to his officers. 士兵必须绝对服从他的长官。
• Her silence gave implicit consent. 她的沉默表示默许。

8 confide   

v.向某人吐露秘密

参考例句：

• I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。
• He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。

9 paternal   

adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的

参考例句：

• I was brought up by my paternal aunt.我是姑姑扶养大的。
• My father wrote me a letter full of his paternal love for me.我父亲给我写了一封充满父爱的信。

10 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

11 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。

12 herald   

vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎

参考例句：

• In England, the cuckoo is the herald of spring.在英国杜鹃鸟是报春的使者。
• Dawn is the herald of day.曙光是白昼的先驱。

13 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

14 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 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。

17 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。

18 expend   

vt.花费，消费，消耗

参考例句：

• Don't expend all your time on such a useless job.不要把时间消耗在这种无用的工作上。
• They expend all their strength in trying to climb out.他们费尽全力想爬出来。

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。

20 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

21 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

22 benefactor   

n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人

参考例句：

• The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。
• The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。