CHAPTER XXVI FRANK HEARS SOMETHING TO HIS ADVANTAGE

 "My name," said the stranger, "is Peters—Jonathan Peters, of Craneville, Onondaga County. I am a farmer, and don't know much about New York. I've got a few hundred dollars that I want to put into government bonds."

 

"All right," said Frank, "there won't be any difficulty about it."

 

"I've heerd there are a good many swindlers in New York," continued Mr. Peters. "The squire¹—Squire Jackson, of our village—perhaps you may have heard of him?"

 

"I don't think I have, Mr. Peters."

 

"Well, the squire told me I'd better take good keer of my money, as there were plenty of rascals² here who would try to cheat me out of it."

 

"That is true, Mr. Peters. Only yesterday I was robbed of thirty-five dollars by a man who boarded in the same house."

 

"You don't say so?"

 

"He opened my trunk and took out my pocketbook while I was absent on business."

 

"I wouldn't dare to live in York!" said the farmer, whose apprehensions³ were increased by Frank's story.

 

By this time they had reached the office of Jones & Robinson, with whom, it will be remembered, Frank had once before had dealings.

 

"If you will come in here, Mr. Peters," said our hero, "you will be sure of honorable treatment. I will introduce you if you like."

 

"I should be obleeged if you would," said the farmer. "Out in Craneville I am to home, but I ain't used to York business men, and don't know how to talk to them."

 

It pleased Frank to find that, in spite of his inexperience, he was able to be of service to one more unaccustomed than himself to city scenes and city ways.

 

He walked up to the counter, followed by the farmer, and said:

 

"This gentleman wishes to buy some government bonds. I told him that he could transact⁴ his business here."

 

"Thank you! Mr. Benton, you may attend to this gentleman."

 

Frank was about to leave the office, when Mr. Robinson called him back.

 

"You have been in the office before, have you not?" he asked.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"Are you not the boy who assisted in the capture of the man who robbed Mr. Henry Percival, of Madison Avenue?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I thought so. I have been trying to find you for the last week."

 

Naturally Frank looked surprised.

 

"Mr. Henry Percival was at that time in Europe," said Mr. Robinson. "On his return, a week since, he called on us, and expressed a desire to have you call upon him. We had mislaid or lost your address, and were unable to give him the information he desired."

 

Frank's heart beat high with hope as the broker⁵ spoke⁶.

 

"Perhaps," he thought, "Mr. Percival may offer me a situation of some kind, and I certainly am greatly in need of one."

 

"Did Mr. Percival recover all his bonds?" he asked.

 

"Nearly all," answered Mr. Robinson. "He considered himself exceedingly fortunate, and he certainly was so."

 

"Do you know how much he was robbed of?" asked Frank.

 

"Rather over five thousand dollars. Of this sum all has been recovered except three bonds of a hundred dollars each. Mr. Percival is a rich man, and he won't miss that small amount."

 

"I wish I were rich enough not to miss three hundred dollars," thought our hero. "If I had my rights, I could say the same."

 

Just now, in his extremity⁷, Frank thought regretfully of the fortune he had lost. Had he been so situated⁸ as to be earning enough to defray all his expenses, he would scarcely have given a thought of it.

 

"You had better go up to see Mr. Percival this evening," said the banker, "if you have no other engagement."

 

"Even if I had an engagement, I would put it off," said Frank. "Will you give me Mr. Percival's number?"

 

"No. 265," said Mr. Robinson.

 

Frank noted⁹ it down and left the office. By this time Mr. Peters had completed his business, and was ready to go out, also.

 

"I'm much obliged to you," he said to Frank. "I was afraid I'd get into a place where they'd cheat me. I guess Mr. Jones and Robinson are pretty good folks."

 

"I think you can depend upon them," said Frank.

 

"If ever you come to Craneville, I should like to have you stay a few days with me on my farm," said Mr. Peters, hospitably¹⁰. "We are plain folks, but will treat you about right."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Peters. If I ever come to Craneville, I shall certainly call upon you."

 

Frank had something to look forward to in his approaching interview with Mr. Percival. He had been able to do this gentleman a service, and it was not unlikely that the capitalist would wish to make him some acknowledgment. Frank did not exaggerate his own merits in the matter. He felt that it was largely owing to a lucky chance that he had been the means of capturing the bond robber. However, it is to precisely¹¹ such lucky chances that men are often indebted for the advancement¹² of their fortunes.

 

While he was in a state of suspense¹³, and uncertain what Mr. Percival might be disposed to do for him, he decided¹⁴ not to exert himself to obtain any employment. If he should be disappointed in his hopes, it would be time enough to look about him the following day.

 

What should he do in the meantime?

 

He determined¹⁵ to treat himself to an excursion. From the end of the Battery he had often looked across to Staten Island, lying six miles away, and thought it would prove a pleasant excursion. Now, having plenty of time on his hands, he decided to go on board one of the boats that start hourly from the piers¹⁶ adjoining the Battery. The expense was but trifling¹⁷ and, low as Frank's purse was, he ventured to spend the amount for pleasure. He felt that he needed a little recreation after the weeks of patient labor¹⁸ he had spent in the service of the Great Pekin Tea Company.

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 rascals   

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

参考例句：

• "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。
• "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

3 apprehensions   

疑惧

参考例句：

• He stood in a mixture of desire and apprehensions. 他怀着渴望和恐惧交加的心情伫立着。
• But subsequent cases have removed many of these apprehensions. 然而，随后的案例又消除了许多类似的忧虑。

4 transact   

v.处理；做交易；谈判

参考例句：

• I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。
• I have been obliged to see him；there was business to transact.我不得不见他，有些事物要处理。

5 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 extremity   

n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度

参考例句：

• I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
• What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

8 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。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 hospitably   

亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地

参考例句：

• At Peking was the Great Khan, and they were hospitably entertained. 忽必烈汗在北京，他们受到了盛情款待。
• She was received hospitably by her new family. 她的新家人热情地接待了她。

11 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

12 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

13 suspense   

n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑

参考例句：

• The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。
• The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

14 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

15 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

16 piers   

n.水上平台( pier的名词复数 )；（常设有娱乐场所的）突堤；柱子；墙墩

参考例句：

• Most road bridges have piers rising out of the vally. 很多公路桥的桥墩是从河谷里建造起来的。 来自辞典例句
• At these piers coasters and landing-craft would be able to discharge at all states of tide. 沿岸航行的海船和登陆艇，不论潮汐如何涨落，都能在这种码头上卸载。 来自辞典例句

17 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

18 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。