"I will give you a letter to Mr. Greene, our agent in Cleveland," said Mr. Pusher, "and you can consult him as to your best field of operations."
The letter was hastily written and handed to Walter.
"Good-by, Mr. Pusher," he said, preparing to leave the office.
"Good-by, my young friend. I shall hope to hear good accounts from you."
[Pg 217]
So Walter went downstairs, and emerged into the street. He had no particular motive2 for remaining in New York, and felt eager to commence work. So he went at once to the Erie railway depot3, and bought a through ticket to Cleveland, via Buffalo4 and Niagara Falls. Though he had not much money to spare, he determined5 not to neglect the opportunity he would have of seeing this great natural wonder, but to stop over a day in order to visit the falls.
He selected a comfortable seat by a window, and waited till the train was ready to start. He realized that he had engaged in rather a large enterprise for a boy of fifteen, who had hitherto had all his wants supplied by others. He was about to go a thousand miles from home, to earn his own living,—in other words, to paddle his own canoe. But he did not feel in the least dismayed. He was ambitious and enterprising, and confident that he could earn his living as well as other boys of his age. He had never been far from home, but felt that he should enjoy visiting new and unfamiliar6 scenes. So he felt decidedly cheerful and hopeful[Pg 218] as the cars whirled him out of the depot, and he commenced his Western journey.
Walter put his strip of railway tickets into his vest-pocket, and his porte-monnaie, containing the balance of his money, into the pocket of his pantaloons. He wished to have the tickets at hand when the conductor came round. He sat alone at first, but after a while a lady got in who rode thirty miles or more, and then got out. A little later a young man passed through the cars, looking about him on either side. He paused at Walter's seat, and inquired, "Is this seat taken?"
"No, sir," said Walter.
"Then, with your permission, I will take it," said the stranger. "Tiresome7 work travelling, isn't it?"
"I don't know," said Walter. "I rather like it; but then I never travelled much."
"I have to travel a good deal on business," said the other, "and I've got tired of it. How many times do you think I have been over this road?"
"Couldn't guess."
[Pg 219]
"This is the fifteenth time. I know it like a book. How far are you going?"
"To Cleveland."
"Got relations there, I suppose?"
"No," said Walter; "I am going on business."
He was rather glad to let his companion know that he, too, was in business.
"You're young to be in business," said his companion. "What sort of business is it?"
"I am an agent for Flint & Pusher, a New York firm."
"Publishers, aint they?"
"Yes, sir."
Walter's companion was a young man of twenty-five, or possibly a year or two older. He was rather flashily attired8, with a cut-away coat and a low-cut vest, double-breasted, across which glittered a massive chain, which might have been gold, or might only have been gilt9, since all that glitters is not gold. At any rate, it answered the purpose of making a show. His cravat10 was showy, and his whole appearance indicated absence of good taste. A cautious employer would scarcely have selected[Pg 220] him from a crowd of applicants11 for a confidential12 position. Walter was vaguely13 conscious of this. Still he had seen but little of the world, and felt incompetent14 to judge others.
"Are you going right through to Cleveland?" inquired the stranger.
"No; I think I shall stop at Buffalo. I want to see Niagara Falls."
"I suppose you have been there?" said Walter, with some curiosity.
"Oh, yes, several times. I've a great mind to go again and show you round, but I don't know if I can spare so long a time from business."
"I should like your company," said Walter, politely; "but I don't want to interfere16 with your engagements."
"I'll think of it, and see how I can arrange matters," said the other.
Walter was not particularly anxious for the continued society of his present companion. He was willing enough to talk with him, but there was [Pg 221]something in his appearance and manner which prevented his being attracted to him. He turned away and began to view the scenery through which they were passing. The stranger took out a newspaper, and appeared to be reading attentively17. Half an hour passed thus without a word being spoken on either side. At length his companion folded up the paper.
"Do you smoke?" he asked.
"No," said Walter.
"I think I'll go into the smoking-car, and smoke a cigar. I should like to offer you one if you will take one."
"No, thank you," said Walter; "I don't smoke, and I am afraid my first cigar wouldn't give me much pleasure."
"I'll be back in a few minutes. Perhaps you'd like to look over this paper while I am gone."
"Thank you," said Walter.
He took the paper,—an illustrated18 weekly,—and looked over the pictures with considerable interest. He had just commenced reading a story when a boy passed through the car with a basket of oranges and apples depending from his arm.
[Pg 222]
"Oranges—apples!" he called out, looking to the right and left in quest of customers.
The day was warm, and through the open window dust had blown into the car. Walter's throat felt parched19, and the oranges looked tempting20.
"How much are your oranges?" he inquired.
"Five cents apiece, or three for a dime," answered the boy.
"I'll take three," said Walter, reflecting that he could easily dispose of two himself, and considering that it would only be polite to offer one to his companion, whose paper he was reading, when he should return.
"Here are three nice ones," said the boy, picking them out, and placing them in our hero's hands.
Walter felt in his vest-pocket, thinking he had a little change there. He proved to be mistaken. There was nothing in that pocket except his railway tickets.
Next, of course, he felt for his porte-monnaie, but he felt for it in vain.
He started in surprise.
[Pg 223]
"I thought my pocket-book was in that pocket," he reflected. "Can it be in the other?"
He felt in the other pocket, but search here was equally fruitless. He next felt nervously21 in the pocket of his coat, though he was sure he couldn't have put his porte-monnaie there. Then it flashed upon him, with a feeling of dismay, that he had lost his pocket-book and all his remaining money. How or where, he could not possibly imagine, for the suddenness of the discovery quite bewildered him.
"I won't take the oranges," he said to the boy. "I can't find my money."
The boy, who had made sure of a sale, took back the fruit reluctantly, and passed on, crying out, "Here's your oranges and apples!"
Walter set about thinking what had become of his money. The more he thought, the more certain he felt that he had put his porte-monnaie in the pocket in which he had first felt for it. Why was it not there now? That was a question which he felt utterly22 incompetent to answer.
"Have you lost anything?" inquired a gentleman who sat just behind Walter. Looking back, he[Pg 224] found that it was a gentleman of fifty who addressed him.
"Yes, sir," he said, "I have lost my pocket-book."
"Was there much money in it?"
"About forty dollars, sir."
"That is too much to lose. Was your ticket in it also?"
"No, sir; that I have in my vest-pocket."
"Where was your pocket-book when you last saw it?" inquired the gentleman.
"In this pocket, sir."
"Humph!" commented the other. "Who was that young man who was sitting with you a few minutes since?"
"I don't know, sir."
"He was a stranger, then?"
"Yes, sir; I never met him till this morning."
"Then I think I can tell you where your money has gone."
"Where, sir?" demanded Walter, beginning to understand him.
"I think your late companion was a pickpocket,[Pg 225] and relieved you of it, while he pretended to be reading. I didn't like his appearance much."
"I don't see how he could have done it without my feeling his hand in my pocket."
"They understand their business, and can easily relieve one of his purse undetected. I once had my watch stolen without being conscious of it. Your porte-monnaie was in the pocket towards the man, and you were looking from the window. It was a very simple thing to relieve you of it."
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1
authorized
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| a.委任的，许可的 | |
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2
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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3
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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buffalo
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| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
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5
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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6
unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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7
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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8
attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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10
cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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11
applicants
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| 申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 ) | |
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12
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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13
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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14
incompetent
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| adj.无能力的，不能胜任的 | |
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15
stunning
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| adj.极好的；使人晕倒的 | |
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16
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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17
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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18
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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19
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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20
tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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21
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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