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CHAPTER III PAUL HAS COMPETITORS
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 The next morning Paul took his old place in front of the post office. He set down his basket in front, and, taking one of the packages in his hand, called out in a businesslike manner, as on the day before, “Here's your prize packages! Only five cents! Money prize in every package! Walk up, gentlemen, and try your luck!”
He met with a fair degree of success at first, managing in the course of an hour to sell ten packages. All the prizes drawn1 were small, with the exception of one ten-cent prize, which was drawn by a little bootblack, who exclaimed:
“That's the way to do business, Johnny. If you've got any more of them ten-cent prizes, I'll give you ten cents a piece for the lot.”
“Better buy some more and see,” said Paul.
“That don't go down,” said the other. “Maybe there'd be only a penny.”
Nevertheless, the effect of this large prize was to influence the sale of three other packages; but as neither of these contained more than two-cent prizes, trade began to grow dull, and for ten minutes all Paul's eloquent2 appeals to gentlemen to walk up and try their luck produced no effect.
At this point Paul found that there was a rival in the field.
Teddy O'Brien, who had applied3 for a partnership4 the day before, came up with a basket similar to his own, apparently5 filled with similar packages. He took a position about six feet distant from Paul, and began to cry out, in a shrill6 voice:
“Here's your bully7 prize packages! Best in the market! Here's where you get your big prizes, fifty cents in some of 'em. Walk up boys, tumble up, and take your pick afore they're gone. Fifty cents for five!”
“That's a lie, Teddy,” said Paul, who saw that his rival's attractive announcement was likely to spoil his trade.
“No, 'tisn't,” said Teddy. “If you don't believe it, just buy one and see.”
“I'll tell you what I'll do,” said Paul, “I'll exchange.”
“No,” said Teddy; “I ain't a-goin' to risk givin' fifty cents for one.”
“More likely you'd get ten for one. You're a humbug8.”
“Have you really got any fifty-cent prizes?” asked a newsboy, who had sold out his morning stock of papers, and was lounging about the post office steps.
“Best way is to buy, Johnny,” said Teddy.
The boy did buy, but his prize amounted to only one cent.
“Didn't I tell you so?” said Paul.
“Just wait a while and see,” said Teddy. “The lucky feller hasn't come along. Here, Mike, jest buy a package!”
Mike, a boy of fifteen, produced five cents, and said, “I don't mind if I do.”
He selected a package, and, without opening it, slipped it into his pocket.
“Why don't you open it?” said Teddy.
“What's the use?” said Mike. “There ain't no fifty cents inside.”
However, he drew it out of his pocket, and opened it.
“What's this?” he exclaimed, pulling out a piece of scrip. “Howly St. Patrick! it's I that's in luck, anyhow I've got the fifty cents!”
And he held up to view a fifty-cent scrip.
“Let me look at it,” said Paul, incredulously.
But there was no room for doubt. It was a genuine fifty cents, as Paul was compelled to admit.
“Didn't I tell you so?” said Teddy, triumphantly9. “Here's where you get fifty-cent prizes.”
The appeal was successful. The sight of the fifty-cent prize led to a large call for packages, of which Teddy immediately sold ten, while Paul found himself completely deserted11. None of the ten, however, contained over two cents. Still the possibility of drawing fifty cents kept up the courage of buyers, while Paul's inducements were so far inferior that he found himself wholly distanced.
“Don't you wish you'd gone pardners with me?” asked Teddy, with a triumphant10 grin, noticing Paul's look of discomfiture12. “You can't do business alongside of me.”
“You can't make any money giving such big prizes,” said Paul. “You haven't taken in as much as you've given yet.”
“All right,” said Teddy. “I'm satisfied if you are. Have a package, Jim?”
“Yes,” said Jim. “Mind you give me a good prize.”
The package was bought, and, on being opened, proved to contain fifty cents also, to Paul's great amazement13. How Teddy's business could pay, as it was managed, he could not comprehend. One thing was certain, however, his new competitor monopolized14 the trade, and for two hours Paul did not get a solitary15 customer.
“There's something about this I don't understand,” he pondered, thoughtfully. “He must lose money; but he's spoiled my trade.”
Paul did not like to give up his beat, but he found himself compelled to. Accordingly he took his basket, and moved off toward Wall street. Here he was able to start in business without competitors, and succeeded in selling quite a number of packages, until a boy came up, and said:
“There's a feller up at the post office that's givin' fifty-cent prizes. I got one of 'em.”
There was a group of half-a-dozen boys around Paul, two of whom were about to invest; but on hearing thus they changed their intention, and walked of in the direction of the post office.
Looking up, Paul saw that the boy who had injured his trade was Mike, who had drawn the first fifty-cent prize from his competitor.
“Can't you stop interfering16?” he said, angrily. “I've lost two customers by you.”
“If you don't like it, you can lump it,” said Mike, insolently17. “This is a free country, ain't it?”
“It's a mean trick,” said Paul, indignantly.
“Say that ag'in, and I'll upset your basket,” returned Mike.
“I'll say it as often as I like,” said Paul, who wasn't troubled by cowardice18. “Come on, if you want to.”
Mike advanced a step, doubling his fists; but, finding that Paul showed no particular sign of fear, he stopped short, saying: “I'll lick you some other time.”
“You'd better put it off,” said Paul. “Have a prize package, sir? Only five cents!”
This was addressed to a young man who came out of an insurance office.
“I don't mind if I do,” said the young man. “Five cents, is it? What prize may I expect?”
“The highest is ten cents.”
“There's a boy around the post office that gives fifty-cent prizes, mister,” said Mike. “You'd better buy of him.”
“I'll wait till another time,” said the young man. “Here's the money, Johnny. Now for the package.”
“Look here,” said Paul, indignantly, when his customer had gone away; “haven't you anything to do except to drive off my customers?”
“Give me two cents on every package,” said Mike, “and I'll tell 'em you give dollar prizes.”
“That would be a lie, and I don't want to do business that way.”
Mike continued his persecutions a while longer, and then turned the corner into Nassau street.
“I'm glad he's gone,” thought Paul. “Now there's a chance for me.”
He managed after a while to sell twenty of his packages. By this time it was twelve o'clock, and he began to feel hungry. He resolved, therefore, to go home to dinner and come out again in the afternoon. He didn't know how much he had made, but probably about fifty cents. He had made more than double as much the day before in less time; but then he did not suffer from competition.
He began to doubt whether he could long pursue this business, since other competitors were likely to spring up.
As he walked by the post office he had the curiosity to look and see how his competitor was getting along.
Teddy had started, originally, with seventy-five packages; but of those scarcely a dozen were left. A group of boys were around him. Among them was Mike, who was just on the point of buying another package. As before, he put it in his pocket, and it was not till Teddy asked, “What luck, Mike?” that he drew it out, and opening it again, produced fifty cents.
“It's the big prize!” he said. “Sure I'm in luck, anyhow.”
“You're the boy that's lucky,” said Teddy, with a grin.
As Paul witnessed the scene a light broke upon him. Now he understood how Teddy could afford to give such large prizes. Mike and the other boy, Jim, were only confederates of his—decoy ducks—who kept drawing over again the same prize, which was eventually given back to Teddy. It was plain now why Mike put the package into his pocket before opening it. It was to exchange it for another packet into which the money had previously19 been placed, but which was supposed by the lookers-on to be the same that had just been purchased. The prize could afterward20 be placed in a new packet and used over again.
“That ain't the same package,” said Paul, announcing his discovery. “He had it all the while in his pocket.”
“Look here,” blustered21 Mike, “you jest mind your own business! That's the best thing for you.”
“Suppose I don't?”
“If you don't there may be a funeral to-morrow of a boy about your size.”
There was a laugh at Paul's expense, but he took it coolly.
“I'll send you a particular invitation to attend, if I can get anybody to go over to the island.”
As Mike had been a resident at Blackwell's Island on two different occasions, this produced a laugh at his expense, in the midst of which Paul walked off.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
2 eloquent ymLyN     
adj.雄辩的,口才流利的;明白显示出的
参考例句:
  • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩,胜过最好的演说家。
  • These ruins are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.这些废墟形象地提醒人们不要忘记战争的恐怖。
3 applied Tz2zXA     
adj.应用的;v.应用,适用
参考例句:
  • She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
  • This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
4 partnership NmfzPy     
n.合作关系,伙伴关系
参考例句:
  • The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
  • Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
5 apparently tMmyQ     
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎
参考例句:
  • An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽,豁然开朗。
  • He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。
6 shrill EEize     
adj.尖声的;刺耳的;v尖叫
参考例句:
  • Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
  • The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。
7 bully bully     
n.恃强欺弱者,小流氓;vt.威胁,欺侮
参考例句:
  • A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
  • The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
8 humbug ld8zV     
n.花招,谎话,欺骗
参考例句:
  • I know my words can seem to him nothing but utter humbug.我知道,我说的话在他看来不过是彻头彻尾的慌言。
  • All their fine words are nothing but humbug.他们的一切花言巧语都是骗人的。
9 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地
参考例句:
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
10 triumphant JpQys     
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的
参考例句:
  • The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
  • There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。
11 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的,荒废的,无人的,被遗弃的
参考例句:
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
12 discomfiture MlUz6     
n.崩溃;大败;挫败;困惑
参考例句:
  • I laughed my head off when I heard of his discomfiture. 听到别人说起他的狼狈相,我放声大笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Without experiencing discomfiture and setbacks,one can never find truth. 不经过失败和挫折,便找不到真理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
14 monopolized 4bb724103eadd6536b882e4d6ba0c3f6     
v.垄断( monopolize的过去式和过去分词 );独占;专卖;专营
参考例句:
  • Men traditionally monopolized jobs in the printing industry. 在传统上,男人包揽了印刷行业中的所有工作。
  • The oil combine monopolized the fuel sales of the country. 这家石油联合企业垄断了这个国家的原油销售。 来自互联网
15 solitary 7FUyx     
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士
参考例句:
  • I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
  • The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际,显得十分壮美。
16 interfering interfering     
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事!
  • I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预,让我自己拿主意。
17 insolently 830fd0c26f801ff045b7ada72550eb93     
adv.自豪地,自傲地
参考例句:
  • No does not respect, speak insolently,satire, etc for TT management team member. 不得发表对TT管理层人员不尊重、出言不逊、讽刺等等的帖子。 来自互联网
  • He had replied insolently to his superiors. 他傲慢地回答了他上司的问题。 来自互联网
18 cowardice norzB     
n.胆小,怯懦
参考例句:
  • His cowardice reflects on his character.他的胆怯对他的性格带来不良影响。
  • His refusal to help simply pinpointed his cowardice.他拒绝帮助正显示他的胆小。
19 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
20 afterward fK6y3     
adv.后来;以后
参考例句:
  • Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏,然后吃饭。
  • Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来,这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。
21 blustered a9528ebef8660f51b060e99bf21b6ae5     
v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的过去式和过去分词 );咆哮;(风)呼啸;狂吹
参考例句:
  • He blustered his way through the crowd. 他吆喝着挤出人群。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The wind blustered around the house. 狂风呼啸着吹过房屋周围。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》


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