“Well, what’s wanted?” asked Meg, who knew well enough without asking.
“I’ve lost some money.”
“No,” said Tom, “but I had it when I laid down.”
“Where was it?”
“In my pocket.”
68“Might have tumbled out among the straw,” suggested Meg.
This struck Tom as not improbable, and she went back into the bedroom, and, getting down on her hands and knees, commenced poking3 about for it. But even if it had been there, any of my readers who has ever lost money in this way knows that it is very difficult to find under such circumstances.
Tom persevered4 in her search until her next-door neighbor growled5 out that he wished she would clear out. At length she was obliged to give it up.
“Have you found it?” asked Meg.
“No,” said Tom, soberly.
“How much was it?”
“Twenty-five cents.”
“That aint much.”
“I think some of them took it while I was asleep,” said Tom, indicating the other lodgers9 by a jerk of her finger.
69“Likely they did,” said Meg, glad to have suspicion diverted elsewhere.
“I wish I knew,” said Tom.
“What’ud you do?”
“I’d get it back again,” said Tom, her black eyes snapping with resolution.
“No, you wouldn’t. You’re nothin’ but a babby. You couldn’t do nothin’!”
“Couldn’t I?” returned Tom. “I’d let ’em know whether I was a baby.”
“Well, you go along now,” said Meg. “Your money’s gone, and you can’t get it back. Next time give it to me to keep, and it’ll be safe.”
Being penniless, Tom was in considerable uncertainty10 when she would again be mistress of so large a sum. At present she felt in no particular dread11 of being robbed. She left the lodgings12, realizing that the money was indeed gone beyond hope of recovery.
There is some comfort in beginning the day with a good breakfast. It warms one up, and inspires hope and confidence. As a general rule people are good-natured and cheerful after a hearty13 breakfast. For ten cents Tom might have got a cup of coffee, or 70what passed for such, and a plate of tea-biscuit. With the other fifteen she could have bought a few morning papers, and easily earned enough to pay for a square meal in the middle of the day. Now she must go to work without capital, and on an empty stomach, which was rather discouraging. She would have fared better than this at granny’s, though not much, her breakfast there usually consisting of a piece of stale bread, with perhaps a fragment of cold sausage. Coffee, granny never indulged in, believing whiskey to be more healthful. Occasionally, in moments of extreme good nature, she had given Tom a sip14 of whiskey; but the young Arab had never got to like it, fortunately for herself, though she had accepted it as a variation of her usual beverage15, cold water.
In considering what she should do for the day, Tom decided16 to go to some of the railway stations or steamboat landings, and try to get a chance to carry a carpet-bag. “Baggage-smashing” required no capital, and this was available in her present circumstances.
Tom made her way to the pier17 where the steamers 71of the Fall River line arrive. Ordinarily it would have been too late, but it had been a windy night, the sound was rough, and the steamer was late, so that Tom arrived just in the nick of time.
Tom took her place among the hackmen, and the men and boys who, like her, were bent18 on turning an honest penny by carrying baggage.
“Clear out of the way here, little gal19!” said a stout20, overgrown boy. “Smash your baggage, sir?”
“Clear out yourself!” said Tom, boldly. “I’ve got as much right here as you.”
Her little, sharp eyes darted21 this way and that in search of a possible customer. The boy who had been rude to her got a job, and this gave Tom a better chance. She offered her services to a lady, who stared at her with curiosity and returned no answer. Tom began to think she should not get a job. There seemed a popular sentiment in favor of employing boys, and Tom, like others of her sex, found herself shut out from an employment for which she considered herself fitted. But, at length, she saw approaching a big, burly six-footer, with 72a good-natured face. There was something about him which inspired Tom with confidence, and, pressing forward, she said, “Carry your bag, sir?”
He stopped short and looked down at the queer figure of our heroine. Then, glancing at his carpet-bag, which was of unusual size and weight, the idea of his walking through the streets with Tom bending beneath the weight of his baggage, struck him in so ludicrous a manner that he burst into a hearty laugh.
“What’s up?” demanded Tom, suspiciously. “Who are you laughin’ at?”
“So you want to carry my carpet-bag?” he asked, laughing again.
“Yes,” said Tom.
“Why, I could put you in it,” said the tall man, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“No, you couldn’t,” said Tom.
“Do you think you could carry it?”
“Let me try.”
He set it down, and Tom lifted it from the ground; but it was obviously too much for her strength.
73“You see you can’t do it. Have you found anything to do this morning?”
“No,” said Tom.
“Business isn’t good, hey?”
“No,” said Tom, “but I wouldn’t mind so much if I hadn’t had my money stole. I’m bust!”
“How’s that? Did the bank break or have you been speculating?”
“Oh, you’re gasin’! I aint got nothing to do with banks. Somebody stole two shillin’s I had, so I’ve had no breakfast.”
“Come, that’s bad. I guess I must give you a job, after all. You can’t carry my bag, but you can carry this.”
He had under his arm something wrapped in a paper, making a small bundle. He handed it to Tom, and she trudged22 along with it after him.
“No,” said Tom; “it feels soft.”
“It’s a large wax doll, for my little niece,” said her patron. “You haven’t got any dolls, I suppose?”
74“I had one once,” said Tom. “It was made of rags. But granny threw it into the fire.”
“I suppose you were sorry.”
“I was then; but I’m too old for dolls now.”
“How old are you?”
“I aint sure. Somewheres about twelve.”
“You live with your granny, then?”
“No, I don’t,—not now.”
“Why not?”
“She wanted to lick me, so I run away.”
“Then where do you live now?”
“Nowhere.”
“You have no home?”
“I don’t want no home. I can take care of myself,” said Tom, briskly.
“I see you are an independent, young woman. Now, if you were a boy, I’d give you a chance on board my ship.”
“Have you got a ship?” asked Tom, becoming interested.
“Yes, I am a sea-captain, and go on long voyages. If you wasn’t a girl, I’d take you along with me as cabin-boy.”
75“I wish you would,” said Tom, eagerly.
“But you are a girl, you know? You couldn’t climb a mast.”
“Try me,” said Tom. “I’m strong. I fit with a boy yesterday, and licked him.”
Captain Barnes laughed, but shook his head.
“I see you’re spunky, if you are a girl,” he said. “But I never heard of a girl being cabin-boy, and I don’t think it would do.”
“I’d put on a boy’s clothes,” suggested Tom.
“You’ve begun to do it already,” said the captain, glancing at the cap and jacket. “I didn’t know at first but you were a boy. What makes you wear a cap?”
They had by this time reached Broadway.
“You may steer25 across the Park to French’s Hotel,” said the sailor. “It’s too late to get breakfast at my sister’s.”
“All right,” said Tom.
They crossed the Park, and the street beyond, 76and reached the door of the brick hotel on the corner of Frankfort Street.
“I’ll go down into the restaurant first,” said Captain Barnes. “I feel like laying in a cargo26 before navigating27 any farther.”
“Here’s your bundle,” said Tom.
He took it, and handed Tom twenty-five cents, which she received with gratification, not having expected so much for carrying so small a bundle.
“Stay a moment,” said the sailor, as she was about to go away. “You haven’t had any breakfast, I think you said.”
“No.”
“Then you shall come in, and breakfast with me.”
This invitation astonished Tom not a little. It was the first invitation she had ever received to breakfast with a gentleman. French’s restaurant being higher priced than those which her class were in the habit of patronizing, she entered with some hesitation28, not feeling quite sure how her entrance would be regarded by the waiters. She was not 77generally wanting in self-possession, but as she descended29 the stairs and entered the room, she felt awkward and out of her element.
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1
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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3
poking
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| n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢 | |
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4
persevered
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| v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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7
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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8
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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9
lodgers
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| n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 ) | |
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10
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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11
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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12
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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13
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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14
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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15
beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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16
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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17
pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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18
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sociably
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| adv.成群地 | |
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24
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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26
cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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27
navigating
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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28
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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29
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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