"I will see you in a little while," he said, and turned to his clerk. Then Bart Sandwood was sent off on an errand and the steamboat owner turned to look over some letters that had come in.
"Now I am at liberty," he said, pleasantly, shaking hands. "Are you ready for work?"
"Good! Have you ever been on a large river steamer?"
"No, Mr. Shalley, but I am willing to do all I possibly can to make myself truly useful."
"Well, if I am any judge of character, you'll get along. All you've got to do is to keep your eyes open and obey orders. We have one old deckhand, Pat Malloy. He will teach you what to do."
"When can I go to work?"
"The boat will be along down the river soon. I'll take you on board, as I want to see the captain. As soon as you are settled I'll have you fitted out with a uniform."
"How much will that cost me?"
"In your case it won't cost anything."
"You are very kind."
"Remember, I take a personal interest in you, Randy, and I want to see you get along. Do your duty and rest assured I shall not forget you."
"I don't think I'll disappoint you, Mr. Shalley."
Randy waited around the office until it was almost time for the steamboat to make a landing. Then he went down to the dock with his newly-found friend. Here were a number of passengers, and also a quantity of baggage and freight.
Presently the Helen Shalley hove into sight, with flags flying bravely in the breeze. As Randy had been told, she was not a particularly large steamboat, but she was well proportioned and graceful3, and well liked by those who patronized her. We will get better acquainted with the craft as our story proceeds.
As soon as a landing was made, Mr. Shalley went on board, taking Randy with him. Captain Hadley was at hand.
"I think so," answered Randy, respectfully.
"Well, you'll have to be, to stand this work. Know anything about handling trunks and such stuff?"
"Not a great deal, but I think I can learn."
"We are shorthanded, so you can jump right in," went on the captain of the steamboat.
"Yes, sir. Who will tell me what to do?"
"Pat Malloy. He is the head man of the gang. Here, Malloy," he called out.
"Aye, aye, sur," answered a brawny5 and jolly-looking Irishman, coming forward and touching6 his cap.
"Here's your new hand."
Pat Malloy looked at Randy in some astonishment7. Our hero was neatly8 dressed and did not look as if he was used to hard labor9.
"Sure an' it's only a boy," murmured the head deckhand.
"He says he can work. Give him a chance," put in Andrew Shalley.
There was plenty to do, and Randy threw off his coat, took off his collar and tie, and pitched in. The labor was by no means easy, and he had not the trick of throwing up a trunk to the best advantage, yet he did very well, and Pat Malloy nodded approvingly.
"Sure, an' ye do better nor some o' thim foreigners already," he declared. "Kape it up an' we'll git along foine together."
Captain Hadley and Andrew Shalley watched the work for several minutes, and then walked to the cabin of the steamboat. Here the owner of the boat told something about Randy.
"I want you to give him a chance even if he is a bit green," said he. "I want the lad to get along."
"He shall have all the chance possible," answered Captain Hadley. "I am glad to get a hand who is intelligent."
"Good-by, my boy!" cried Mr. Shalley, on leaving. "Take good care of yourself, and let me know how you get along."
"Thank you, I will," answered our hero.
"It may be hard work at first, but you'll get used to it."
"I am not afraid of hard work."
"The captain will give you a uniform in a few days."
The gangplanks were hauled in, the lines cast off, and with a hoarse11 whistle the Helen Shalley continued on her course down the Hudson. There was a small Italian band on board, consisting of two violins, a harp12 and a clarionet, and they struck up a popular air.
The work at the dock had somewhat exhausted13 Randy, who was not used to handling such heavy stuff so quickly, but he took pains to conceal14 his feelings.
"I am not going to back down, no matter how hard the work is," he told himself. "Others can do it and so can I."
Among the deckhands was a tall, limber American man named Jones. He came up to Randy after the work was done.
"Malloy told me to show you around the boat and give you some pointers," said Jones. "Come ahead."
They passed from one end of the steamboat to the other, through all of the three decks, and Jones named over the various parts and told what the deckhands were expected to do. Then they went below and he told of some work there. Lastly he took Randy to the sleeping quarters.
"This is my bunk," said Jack15 Jones. "That will be yours over there. When you get the chance, I'll advise you to air your bedding. You can do it after we tie up in New York and the passengers go ashore16."
The quarters were small, but not any smaller than Randy's garret apartment in the cottage. Everything was kept as clean as wax, for both Malloy and Jones were enemies to dirt. Randy was glad to learn this and resolved to give the others no cause for complaint regarding his own personal habits.
"Some boats are very dirty and the bunks17 not fit for a dog to sleep in," said Jack Jones. "But Malloy won't allow it on this boat, and I won't have it either."
"And I am with you," answered our hero.
"Came from a farm, didn't you?"
"Yes, but our family wasn't on the farm long."
"I came from a farm myself."
"How long have you been on this boat?"
"Came the middle of last season."
"Do you like it?"
"If I didn't I shouldn't be here."
"I suppose that is so."
"Captain Hadley is a fine man to work for. He is strict but fair, and that is what I like."
"What about the others?"
"The mate, Tom Blossom, is nice, too. The man we all hate is Peter Polk, the purser."
"What's the matter with him?"
"In what way?"
"He is always making trouble for somebody. Nobody seems to like him much, although he attends strictly19 to business."
"I hope I don't have trouble with Mr. Polk."
"Well, you will have to watch yourself."
Several other landings were made, and promptly at the appointed time the Helen Shalley swung into her dock at New York City and the remaining passengers went ashore. Then began the labor of unloading the baggage and freight, after which the deck was swabbed up, the brass-work polished, and such baggage as was at hand taken on board for transportation up the river the next day.
When he had finished his day's labors20 Randy was tired and perfectly21 willing to rest for a while. He had had a good supper and might have gone directly to bed, but instead he sat up to write a letter to the folks at home, telling his father and mother of his day's experience.
Our hero had to go ashore to post the communication, and once out in the street he resolved to take a little walk around before returning to the steamboat. He was soon walking along West Street, and then took to a side street running up to the avenues.
Now, although our hero did not know it, he had chosen one of the worst streets in this part of the great city. It was filled with tenements22 and groggeries of the lowest description, and the sidewalks swarmed24 with all sorts of low characters.
He had scarcely walked two squares before a rough-looking fellow jostled him. The next instant Randy felt a hand in his pocket.
"Stop that!" cried Randy. But the fellow was already running up the street. Our hero clapped his hand in the pocket and discovered that eighty cents in change was missing.
"I am not going to lose that money!" he told himself, with vigor25. "I may be a greeny, but I'll give that thief some trouble."
At first he thought to cry out, but then reconsidered the matter and remained silent. He set off after the thief, and away went man and boy along the crowded thoroughfare.
The man evidently thought he could lose himself in the crowd, but by the aid of the street lights, Randy kept him in sight. He passed along for two blocks and then turned into a side street and then into a blind alley1.
Our hero managed to keep him in view and saw him spring up the steps of a dilapidated tenement23 house. The man ran through the lower hallway and into the back yard, piled high with rubbish of all kinds. Here he hid behind some empty boxes.
Randy was soon in the yard and gazing around eagerly. As he did so he saw a thin and pale girl of about ten standing26 near. Soon she came up to him timidly.
"Did you see a man run in here?" said Randy.
"Yes," she answered, but in a hesitating voice.
"Where did he go?"
"I don't dare tell you," whispered the girl.
"Why not?"
"That is Bill Hosker."
"And who is Bill Hosker?"
"Don't you know him?" And the little girl's eyes opened in astonishment.
"No, I don't."
"Bill Hosker is the boss around here. He does just as he pleases. If anybody crosses him Bill 'most kills them."
"Yes."
"Well, where did he go?"
"You won't tell him I told you?"
"No."
"He crawled in behind those boxes," answered the little girl and then ran away.
Randy waited to hear no more, but made a dash for the boxes. As he did so, the fellow who had robbed him leaped up, club in hand.
"Go out of here!" he cried, in a hoarse voice. "I don't want anything to do with a kid like you."
"You give me my money," answered Randy, vigorously. "I am not going to let the like of you rob me."
"Ho! ho! Hear the kid talk! Go away, before I maul ye!" And Bill Hosker brandished28 his club.
But our hero was not to be daunted29 thus readily, and looking around he espied30 a stick and picked it up. Then he advanced upon Bill Hosker, who promptly leaped to the top of a big packing case. The next instant he came down upon Randy, bearing him to the ground. Our hero tried to defend himself, but it was useless. He was crushed beneath that heavy weight, and then the rascal31 gave him a crack on the head that stretched him senseless.
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1
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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7
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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labor
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| 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 | |
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10
conversed
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的过去式 ) | |
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11
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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13
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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14
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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15
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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16
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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17
bunks
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| n.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的名词复数 )；空话，废话v.（车、船等倚壁而设的）铺位( bunk的第三人称单数 )；空话，废话 | |
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18
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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tenements
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| n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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28
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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29
daunted
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| 使（某人）气馁，威吓( daunt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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