CHAPTER XIII. AN ADVENTURE.

 The next morning, at the time appointed, Tom called at the establishment of Mr. Ferguson. The first he met was Maurice Walton. Maurice, in fact, was the youngest clerk, having received the appointment six weeks before, through the influence of his uncle.

 

"Did you come round to see me? I'm busy," said Maurice.

 

"Haven't you swept out yet?" asked Tom, mischievously¹.

 

"Do you think I would demean myself by sweeping² out?" returned Maurice, disgusted.

 

"I thought that might be your business."

 

"That would be good business for you. Perhaps Mr. Ferguson will engage you."

 

"All right; I'll accept, if he'll pay me enough. Is he in?"

 

"Who?"

 

"Your boss."

 

"I don't understand such low terms," said Maurice, loftily.

 

"Then it's time you did. Is Mr. Ferguson in?—if you can understand that better."

 

"Yes, he is, but he won't see you."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because his time is too valuable."

 

"Then I wonder why he asked me to come round this morning?"

 

"Did he?"

 

"Of course he did; and, if you've got through sweeping out, you'd better let him know I'm on hand."

 

"Go yourself."

 

"Thank you for your polite invitation. They didn't examine you in good manners when they took you in here, did they?"

 

"You're an impertinent fellow."

 

"Thank you. You ought to be a good judge of impudence³. I'll see you again soon—hope you won't miss me much."

 

Our hero, who, it must be confessed, was not troubled by bashfulness, made a low bow to his opponent, and, advancing to the counting-room, opened the door. Mr. Ferguson looked up from his letters.

 

"Take a seat, Grey," he said, "and I'll speak to you in a moment."

 

"Thank you," said Tom, who knew how to be polite when it was proper to be so.

 

At the end of fifteen minutes Mr. Ferguson looked up.

 

"Well," said he, "have you formed any plans, Gilbert?—I think that is your name."

 

"No, sir, except that I'm goin' to try to get a place."

 

"Have you tried yet?"

 

"I called to see a man who offered a light, genteel employment to a young man with a small capital. I thought mine was small enough, so I applied⁴."

 

"Well, what came of it?"

 

"The man wasn't willin' to sell out for fifteen dollars, so I left."

 

"You seem to be a smart boy. Suppose I take you into my employment?"

 

"I'd try to do my duty."

 

"I really don't need an extra clerk; but you are the son of my old employer, and to him I feel under considerable obligations. I'll take you on trial."

 

"Thank you, sir. When shall I come?"

 

"Next Monday."

 

"All right, sir; I'll be on hand."

 

"Where are you boarding?"

 

"At the Ohio Hotel."

 

"How much board do you pay?"

 

"Ten dollars a week."

 

"That is too much. You ought to get board in a private house for four. Between now and Monday, I advise you to look up some decent house that will answer your purpose. You can't expect to live luxuriously⁵ at first."

 

"I ain't used to first-class accommodations," said Tom.

 

"I see you are a sensible boy. Cut your coat according to your cloth. That is a good maxim⁶. When you get older, you can live better. Now, about your salary. I can't give much at first, or my other clerks might complain. I will give you five dollars, the same that I pay to my youngest clerk."

 

"Maurice Walton?"

 

"Do you know him?" questioned Mr. Ferguson, in surprise.

 

"Yes, sir. I took supper at his uncle's Wednesday evening."

 

"Indeed! I did not know you were acquainted with Mr. Benton."

 

"Bessie Benton came on from Buffalo⁸ in my charge."

 

"Really, Gilbert, you seem to be getting on fast. You seem quite able to push your own way."

 

"I've always done it, sir."

 

"You are not bashful."

 

"New York street-boys ain't troubled that way."

 

"That's well, if not carried too far. Now, tell me how much you know."

 

"If it's about learning, I can do that in five minutes."

 

"Your education, I take it, has been neglected."

 

"I don't know much—I didn't have a chance to learn."

 

"Can you read?"

 

"When the words ain't too long."

 

"And write?"

 

"Not much."

 

"Then I advise you to take what leisure time you have to remedy the defects in your education."

 

"I'd like to, sir. I was ashamed of knowing so little when I was at Mr. Benton's."

 

"A good feeling, my boy. The more you know the better chance you stand to get on in the world. I am giving you a low place in my employment. If you want to be promoted, you must qualify yourself for it."

 

"I'll do it, sir," said our hero, manfully. "That's good advice, and I'll foller it."

 

"Success to you, my boy. You can now go, and come back Monday morning."

 

"Thank you, sir."

 

Tom left the counting-room in excellent spirits. He had found a place, and one just such as he liked. Five dollars a week, he foresaw, would not pay his expenses, but he was sure he could earn more in some way. As he was about to leave the store, Maurice, whose curiosity was aroused, came to meet him.

 

"Did you get through your important business?" he said, sneeringly⁹.

 

"Not quite. I'm coming here again next Monday."

 

"Mr. Ferguson must be glad to see you."

 

"I'm comin' Tuesday, also."

 

"What, every day?"

 

"Yes; your boss has concluded to take me into the business."

 

"You ain't coming here to work?" said Maurice, hastily.

 

"You've hit the nail on the head."

 

"We've got enough clerks now."

 

"I'm comin' to help you sweep out in the mornin'."

 

Maurice was by no means pleased to hear this. Regarding Tom as his social inferior, he did not like to be placed on a level with him.

 

"How much pay are you to get?" he asked.

 

"Five dollars a week."

 

"The same as I get?"

 

"Yes."

 

Maurice was disgusted.

 

"Then I shall ask for higher pay."

 

"Go ahead. I don't care."

 

"Do you expect to live on your salary?"

 

"No, of course not. I've got private property."

 

"How much?"

 

"Go and ask the man that calls for the taxes."

 

"I don't believe it."

 

"Why, I'm payin' ten dollars a week for my board."

 

Finally our hero went out, leaving Maurice dissatisfied and annoyed—first that his rival, as he regarded him, had obtained a place in the same establishment with himself, and next that the new-comer was to receive the same salary. He sent in an application, the next day, for increase of pay, but it was dismissed, with the curt¹⁰ response that when he earned more he would get it.

 

Meanwhile Tom bent⁷ his steps toward the Ohio river. Of course, my readers know that Cincinnati is on the north bank of the Ohio, and that just across is a town in Kentucky.

 

"I'd like to see Kentucky," said Tom to himself. "I guess I'll go across."

 

Small river steamers convey passengers across the river for a very small sum. Our hero paid the required fee and went on board.

 

"It's some like goin' across to Jersey," he thought.

 

There was the usual variety of passengers—men, women, and children. Tom sat down beside a young man well dressed, but a little strange in his manners. It was evident that he had been drinking too much, and was under the influence of liquor at present. He was perfectly¹¹ quiet, however, till they were in the middle of the stream, when, all at once, he climbed the railing and threw himself into the turbid¹² waters of the river.

 

A man diving into a river

Tom, being an expert swimmer, jumped in after the man without hesitation¹³.—Page 96.

 

The passengers seemed paralyzed by the suddenness of the action. Our hero was the first to recover, and, being an expert swimmer, jumped in after him without hesitation.

1 mischievously   

adv.有害地；淘气地

参考例句：

• He mischievously looked for a chance to embarrass his sister. 他淘气地寻找机会让他的姐姐难堪。 来自互联网
• Also has many a dream kindheartedness, is loves mischievously small lovable. 又有着多啦a梦的好心肠，是爱调皮的小可爱。 来自互联网

2 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

3 impudence   

n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼

参考例句：

• His impudence provoked her into slapping his face.他的粗暴让她气愤地给了他一耳光。
• What knocks me is his impudence.他的厚颜无耻使我感到吃惊。

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 luxuriously   

adv.奢侈地，豪华地

参考例句：

• She put her nose luxuriously buried in heliotrope and tea roses. 她把自己的鼻子惬意地埋在天芥菜和庚申蔷薇花簇中。 来自辞典例句
• To be well dressed doesn't mean to be luxuriously dressed. 穿得好不一定衣着豪华。 来自辞典例句

6 maxim   

n.格言，箴言

参考例句：

• Please lay the maxim to your heart.请把此格言记在心里。
• "Waste not,want not" is her favourite maxim.“不浪费则不匮乏”是她喜爱的格言。

7 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

8 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

9 sneeringly   

嘲笑地，轻蔑地

参考例句：

• Guan and Zhang had nothing more to say, But they walked away sneeringly. 关羽、张飞无话，冷笑着走了。

10 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

11 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

12 turbid   

adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的

参考例句：

• He found himself content to watch idly the sluggish flow of the turbid stream.他心安理得地懒洋洋地望着混浊的河水缓缓流着。
• The lake's water is turbid.这个湖里的水混浊。

13 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。