"So much the better!" he said. "It will make my task easier."
He had hoped to find both asleep, and decided3 to wait near the house till the boy went to bed. He had made many inquiries4 at the store of Joe Marks, and the answers to his questions led him to believe that old Peter had a large amount of money concealed5 in his cabin.
Now, Tom Burns was a penniless tramp, who had wandered from Chicago on a predatory trip, ready to take any property he could lay his hands on. The chance that presented itself here was unusually tempting6 to a man of his character.
Earlier in the evening he had reached the cabin, but thought it best to defer7 his plans until later, for Ernest was awake and stirring about the room.
The tramp withdrew to some distance from the cabin and lay down under a tree, where he was soon fast asleep. Curiously8, it was the very oak tree under which Peter's little hoard9 was concealed, but this, of course, he did not know. Had he been aware that directly beneath him was a box containing a hundred dollars in gold he would have been electrified10 and full of joy.
Tom Burns in his long and varied11 career had many times slept in the open air, and he had no difficulty in falling asleep now. But asleep he took no note of time, and when he woke up it was much later than he intended. However, without delay he made his way to the cabin, and arrived just as Ernest discovered the death of the old man whom he had supposed to be his uncle.
What time it was the tramp did not know, for it was years since he had carried a watch; but as he stood with his face glued to the window-pane he heard a clock in the cabin striking the hour of three.
"Three o'clock," he ejaculated. "Well, I did have a nap!"
The boy was awake and he thought it best to wait a while.
"Why didn't I get here a little sooner?" he grumbled12. "Then I could have ransacked13 the cabin without trouble. Probably the old man has been dead some time."
He watched to see what Ernest would do.
"He won't be such a fool as to sit up with the corpse," he muttered, a little apprehensively15. "That wouldn't do no good."
Apparently16 Ernest was of this opinion, for after carefully covering up the inanimate body he lay down again on his own bed.
He did not fall asleep immediately, for the thought that he was in the presence of death naturally affected18 his imagination. But gradually his eyes closed, and his full, regular breathing gave notice that he was locked in slumber19.
He had left the candle burning on the table. By the light which it afforded the tramp could watch him, and at the end of twenty minutes he felt satisfied that he could safely enter.
He lifted the window, and passed into the room noiselessly. He had one eye fixed20 on the sleeping boy, who might suddenly awake. He had taken off his shoes, and left them on the grass just under the window.
When Tom Burns found himself in the room, he made his way at once to the trunk, which his watchful21 eye had already discovered.
"That's where the old man keeps his gold, likely," he muttered. "I hope it isn't locked."
Usually the trunk would have been fastened, but the conversation which Ernest had had with old Peter so engrossed22 his mind as to make him less careful than usual. Tom Burns therefore had no difficulty in lifting the lid.
With eager fingers he explored the contents, and was not long in discovering the box which contained the two gold coins.
The discovery pleased and yet disappointed him.
"Only ten dollars!" he muttered. "There ought to have been a pile of these yellow boys. Perhaps there are more somewhere."
Meanwhile he slipped the two coins into his vest pocket It was not much, but it was more than he had had in his possession for months.
He continued his search, but failed to discover any more money. He felt indignant. It seemed to him that he was badly used. That a miser23 should have but a paltry24 ten dollars in his trunk was very discreditable.
"He must have some more somewhere," Burns reflected.
It occurred to him that there might be hoards25 hidden under the floor, or in the immediate17 neighborhood of the cabin. But it was night, and there would be no profit in pursuing the search now.
"To-morrow," he reflected, "the boy will be off making preparations for buryin' the old man, and then I can make another visit."
He closed the lid of the trunk, and with a general glance to see if there was anything more worth taking, he rose to his feet and prepared to leave the room.
"Uncle Peter," he murmured.
The tramp stood still, apprehensive14 that Ernest would open his eyes and detect his presence. But the boy did not speak again.
"I had better get," soliloquized Burns.
He got out of the window quietly, but as the boy stirred again, he hurried away with out stopping to shut it.
When, a little after seven o'clock, Ernest woke up, the sun was streaming in at the open window, and the cool air entered with it.
"How came the window up?" thought Ernest, wondering. "I am sure I didn't leave it open last night."
There was nothing else to indicate that the cabin had been entered. But the more Ernest thought it over, the more convinced he was that there had been a visitor.
With sudden suspicion, he went to the trunk and opened it. It was evident that things had been disturbed. His eyes sought out the box that contained the gold pieces. He opened it, and found that he had been robbed.
"Who could have done it?" he asked himself.
He could not think of any one. He was acquainted with every one in the little village, and he knew none that would be capable of theft. He never thought of the ill-looking tramp whom he had met in Joe Marks' store.
Ten dollars was a considerable loss to him, for he had estimated that it would defray the expenses of old Peter's interment. It was not so bad as it might have been, however, for the hundred dollars of which Peter had told him were still safe.
"When I get that I must be careful," he said to himself.
Though his rest had been disturbed, he felt ready to get up. There was work for him to do. He must arrange for the burial of the old man with whom he had lived so long, the only friend he felt he could claim.
Ernest rose, and after dressing28 himself, made a frugal29 breakfast. He looked sadly at Peter. Death was to him something new and strange, for he did not remember ever having seen a dead man before. He must get help, and with that object in view he went to the village, and sought the store of Joe Marks.
"What brings you out so early, my lad?" asked Joe.
"Matter enough, Joe. My uncle is dead."
"Old Peter dead!" ejaculated Marks. "When did he die?"
"Some time during the night. I wish you'd help me, for I don't know what to do."
"So I will, boy. We'll stand by you, won't we, Luke?"
This was said as Luke Robbins entered the store.
"To be sure we will, Ernest. We all like you."
"Oh, I forgot to say," continued Ernest, "the cabin was entered last night, and some money taken."
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1
pane
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| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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3
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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4
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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tempting
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| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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7
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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8
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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hoard
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| n./v.窖藏，贮存，囤积 | |
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10
electrified
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| v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 )；使兴奋 | |
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11
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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13
ransacked
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| v.彻底搜查( ransack的过去式和过去分词 )；抢劫，掠夺 | |
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14
apprehensive
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| adj.担心的，恐惧的，善于领会的 | |
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apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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17
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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25
hoards
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| n.（钱财、食物或其他珍贵物品的）储藏，积存( hoard的名词复数 )v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
spoke
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| 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 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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28
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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