CHAPTER XXIX. AN UNPLEASANT ACQUAINTANCE.

 ROBERT felt curious to learn what was in the letter, but faithfully carried out the wishes of Miss Stafford, and did not open it till he was more than a mile away.

On opening it, to his surprise he found inclosed two $10 bills, with the following words written in pencil:

"My Young Friend Robert: I desire you to accept the inclosed and hope you will find it of use. You needn't hesitate, for it comes from a crusty old maid who has more than her share of this world's goods, and likes to do a little good as she goes along in life, instead of saving up thousands for heirs who might squander¹ it. Accept my good wishes and thanks beside for the service you have done me in taming a perverse² brute³, and when you are again in this vicinity be sure to call on your friend,

"Louisa Stafford."

235

"The old lady's a trump⁴!" exclaimed Robert warmly. "There isn't one in a thousand that would be so generous. This is a regular windfall to me as I am situated⁵ now. Now I shan't be obliged to send to Dr. Grey for part of my savings⁶."

Robert continued on his way with a light heart, for it is wonderfully cheering to think that one has money enough to pay for rest and food at the close of the day. Our young hero decided⁷ that he would not walk all the way to the East, but would on the day following take the cars at any convenient station.

Pursuing his journey, he came to a portion of the road which ran through the primeval forests, he felt it to be rather a relief, for the morning was well advanced, and the sun began to make him uncomfortably warm. He soon had occasion to learn that to be warm is not the most undesirable⁸ thing that can happen to a traveller.

Half a mile from the entrance of the wood he saw sitting on the fallen trunk of a tree a rough-looking fellow, whose face looked even more repulsive⁹ than usual from a short black beard which appeared to be of a week's growth. He looked236 like what he was—a tramp, who was so from choice, even more than from necessity.

"What an ill-looking fellow!" thought Robert.

The man looked up, and scanned the boy curiously¹⁰.

"Hallo, young chap!" he said.

"Hallo!" returned Robert.

"Have you got any tobacco about you?" inquired the tramp.

"No, I never use it."

"Then have you a cigar? That will do just as well."

"No; I don't smoke at all."

"Oh, you are an innocent baby!" said the man, with a sneer¹¹ of disappointment.

Robert did not think it necessary to reply, but was moving on, being anxious to get away from so undesirable a companion as soon as possible.

"Stop a minute, boy—don't be in such a hurry," said the man.

"If you have anything to say to me I will listen," said Robert, coldly.

"You will, will you? You're mighty¹² accommodatin'! Where are you goin'?"

"Straight ahead!"

Robert

Robert and the Tramp.

237

"Any fool would know that. That isn't an answer."

"Why do you wish to know?" retorted Robert.

"That's my business!" said the tramp, his repulsive features assuming an ugly expression. "You'd better answer my question."

Robert thought on the whole it would be prudent¹³ to avoid trouble by keeping on as good terms as possible with the man.

"I can't tell you," he said, "for I don't know myself. I expect to keep on till I get to New York."

"That's where I'm goin'! Suppose we keep company," said the man with a grin.

"We can keep company for the present, if you wish," answered Robert, trying to repress his disgust.

"Look here, young fellow! Have you got any money?" asked the tramp with a sidelong glance.

Robert was not surprised at this inquiry¹⁴, for he had expected it, but in spite of his courage it alarmed him, for he could see that he was no match in physical strength for this ill-looking man.

238

"A little!" he answered.

"How much?"

"That's my business," answered Robert, provoked. "I don't ask how much money you've got."

"I haven't a cent," said the tramp, "but," he added, significantly, "I'm going to have some soon."

The look which accompanied this declaration made it evident what he meant, and Robert looked about to see what chance he had of escape if the worst came to the worst. As to surrendering the $20 for which he had been indebted to the generosity¹⁵ of Miss Stratton, he had no intention of doing it, unless it should be absolutely necessary.

"I have nothing to do with your affairs," said Robert. "If you'll let me know which way you are going, I'll go the other way."

"Will you so? No, boy, you don't get rid of me so easily. We're goin' the same way. If you want to leave you can, but you must hand over your money first."

"Are you a thief, then?" demanded Robert, quickly.

239

"No; and you'd better not call me so. I'm only goin' to borrer your money; I'll give you my note for it," returned the tramp with a cunning grin.

"I decline to lend," said Robert stoutly¹⁶.

"Look here, my young chicken!" said the man in a menacing tone. Ain't you crowin' rather too loud for a bantem? Do you know who I am?"

"No, but I can guess."

"Guess, then?"

"You're a man whose company I do not like."

The tramp laughed. Instead of offending, the reply appeared to amuse him.

"That's true enough, I reckon. Well, I'm a man that don't stand no nonsense. I want your money."

He advanced towards Robert in a menacing manner, and our hero, who had been looking about him, jumped aside nimbly, and seizing the branch of a tree swung himself up into the branches, before his companion clearly understood his intention.

"Oh, that's your game, is it?" he said, angrily. "It won't do!"

240

He darted¹⁷ forward, but Robert bad been too quick for him, and was already out of reach. He was light and agile¹⁸ by nature, and his training in the ring had helped to make him more so.

"So you think you've escaped me, do you?" he demanded with an oath.

Robert did not answer, but looked calmly down upon him from the tree.

"Come down at once!"

"Thank you; I'd rather stay here," said our hero calmly.

Without a word the tramp made an effort to follow Robert up the tree.

1 squander   

v.浪费，挥霍

参考例句：

• Don't squander your time in reading those dime novels.不要把你的时间浪费在读那些胡编乱造的廉价小说上。
• Every chance is precious，so don't squander any chance away!每次机会都很宝贵，所以不要将任何一个白白放走。

2 perverse   

adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的

参考例句：

• It would be perverse to stop this healthy trend.阻止这种健康发展的趋势是没有道理的。
• She gets a perverse satisfaction from making other people embarrassed.她有一种不正常的心态，以使别人难堪来取乐。

3 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

4 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

5 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

6 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 undesirable   

adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子

参考例句：

• They are the undesirable elements among the employees.他们是雇员中的不良分子。
• Certain chemicals can induce undesirable changes in the nervous system.有些化学物质能在神经系统中引起不良变化。

9 repulsive   

adj.排斥的，使人反感的

参考例句：

• She found the idea deeply repulsive.她发现这个想法很恶心。
• The repulsive force within the nucleus is enormous.核子内部的斥力是巨大的。

10 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

11 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

12 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

13 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

14 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

15 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

16 stoutly   

adv.牢固地，粗壮的

参考例句：

• He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
• Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难，但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。

17 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 agile   

adj.敏捷的，灵活的

参考例句：

• She is such an agile dancer!她跳起舞来是那么灵巧！
• An acrobat has to be agile.杂技演员必须身手敏捷。