Chapter XII — An Adventure

 Presently a young man, rather showily dressed, sat down beside Ben. He glanced sharply at our hero, but did not immediately address him. Finally he said: "Fine day, my young friend."

 

"Yes, sir, very fine," returned Ben politely.

 

"I suppose you live in the city?"

 

"No, sir, I am here only on a visit," said Ben, rather flattered by the supposition.

 

"I don't look so green, after all," he thought.

 

"So am I," said the other, "I live in Philadelphia."

 

"I am from the country," said Ben.

 

"Indeed! You have lived in the city some time, have you not?"

 

"No, sir."

 

"I am surprised to hear it. You have the appearance of a city boy."

 

Ben was not inaccessible¹ to flattery. It was not surprising that he regarded the young man from Philadelphia with favor.

 

"Have you dined?" inquired the stranger.

 

"Not yet," said Ben. "I don't know where to find a restaurant."

 

"Say no more about it, my young friend. I shall be glad to have you dine with me. I know a good place, quite near by."

 

"You are very kind," said Ben, "considering that I am a stranger."

 

"I have a young cousin who resembles you very closely. I suppose that is why I cannot regard you as a stranger. By the way, what is your name?"

 

"Ben Bradford."

 

"Singular coincidence! My cousin is named Benjamin. My name is John Smithson. Well, Ben, if you will allow me the familiarity, suppose we go to dinner."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Smithson."

 

Ben followed his new acquaintance to a moderately-priced restaurant in Fulton Street. It was the first time he had ever been to an eating-house, and looked with interest at the numerous tables.

 

Smithson and he took seats at a small table opposite each other, and the former began to inspect the bill of fare.

 

"I hope you have a good appetite, my young friend," he said, "so that you may do justice to my hospitality."

 

"City people seem to be very kind," thought Ben. "No one in Milltown would pay me such attention."

 

Finally he made his selection, and so did Smithson.

 

At the end of half-an-hour the dinner was concluded.

 

Smithson looked at the checks.

 

"Sixty cents and seventy-five cents," he said; "that makes a dollar and thirty-five cents."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I have go to step out a minute," said Smithson. "Oblige me by paying at the desk out of this bill."

 

As he spoke² he handed Ben a five-dollar bill.

 

"But," said Ben, "there will be nearly four dollars left."

 

"Meet me an hour hence at the place where we were seated, and hand me the balance of the money."

 

"But," said Ben, "I might miss you. Haven't you better pay yourself, as you go out?"

 

"I am in a great hurry, to meet an engagement," said Smithson.

 

"Suppose I shouldn't meet you. Suppose I should keep the money."

 

"No fear. You look honest. Well, meet me in an hour;" and he hurried out of the restaurant, saying, with a nod to the cashier: "The boy will pay."

 

Here was another compliment, Ben thought. A perfect stranger had trusted him with three dollars and sixty-five cents, which he might readily make off with.

 

"I am glad I look honest," thought Ben. "I seem to be treated very well."

 

Two minutes later he went up to the cashier's desk, and, laying down the two checks, extended the five-dollar bill. The cashier was about to make change when his attention seemed to be drawn³ to the bill. He held it up, and scrutinized⁴ it very closely, considerably⁵ to Ben's surprise.

 

"Young man," said he suspiciously, "where did you get this bill?"

 

"From the man that came in with me," answered Ben.

 

"Are you aware that this is a bad bill?" asked the cashier sharply.

 

"A bad bill?" exclaimed Ben, in genuine surprise. "No, I had no idea of it."

 

"Who is this man who gave it to you? Do you know him?"

 

"He said his name was Smithson, from Philadelphia. I never saw him before this morning."

 

"What were you to do with the change I gave you back? Did he tell you to keep it?"

 

"No, sir. I was to meet him in the park in an hour and give it to him."

 

"He has been making a catspaw of you."

 

"I don't understand," said Ben.

 

"Knowing the bill to be bad, he did not venture to offer it himself, as it would make him liable to arrest."

 

"Arrest!" exclaimed Ben, in dismay.

 

"Yes. One who knowingly offers a counterfeit⁶ bill is liable to arrest and imprisonment⁷."

 

"I hope you don't think I knew anything about it," said Ben alarmed.

 

"No; you look too honest to be a confederate of a scoundrel."

 

"He ought to be ashamed of himself to impose upon me," said Ben indignantly. "What shall I do?"

 

"Have you any other money?"

 

Ben produced a two-dollar bill.

 

"I will take pay out of this for your share of the dinner, and with your help I propose to arrest your companion."

 

The cashier briefly⁸ explained his plan. A policeman was summoned, and Ben was instructed to meet Smithson at the time appointed, and tender him the change.

 

He did so.

 

Smithson looked up eagerly as Ben approached.

 

"Have you got the change?" he asked.

 

"Yes," said Ben.

 

"Give it to me."

 

Ben drew fro his vest-pocket three dollars and sixty-five cents, with which he had been provided, and tendered them to the young man, who eagerly took them.

 

"Much obliged," said Smithson, looking elated at the supposed success of his plan.

 

Just then, a quiet-looking man, a detective in citizen's clothes, stepped up and laid his hand on the swindler's arm.

 

"Mr. Smithson, I want you."

 

"What for?" inquired Smithson, turning pale.

 

"For passing a counterfeit bill."

 

"I have passed no counterfeit," faltered⁹ Smithson.

 

"You employed this boy to do it for you."

 

"There's some mistake," said Smithson stammering¹⁰. "You can't prove anything."

 

"With this boy's help we can. Don't trouble yourself to invent excuses. You have been suspected for some time."

 

"The boy lies," said Smithson fiercely.

 

"If he does it will be found out. Come along with me."

 

Much against his will, Smithson walked arm-in-arm with the detective. Ben was notified to be in attendance at court the next morning, at ten o'clock, to testify against his new friend.

 

"I am more of a greenhorn than I thought," Ben said to himself. "Who would have thought such a polite young man was a counterfeiter¹¹!"

 

About four o'clock Ben went up-town to Mr. Manning's boarding-house, and remained there till the merchant arrived.

 

1 inaccessible   

adj.达不到的，难接近的

参考例句：

• This novel seems to me among the most inaccessible.这本书对我来说是最难懂的小说之一。
• The top of Mount Everest is the most inaccessible place in the world.珠穆朗玛峰是世界上最难到达的地方。

2 spoke   

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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 scrutinized   

v.仔细检查，详审( scrutinize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The jeweler scrutinized the diamond for flaws. 宝石商人仔细察看钻石有无瑕庇 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Together we scrutinized the twelve lemon cakes from the delicatessen shop. 我们一起把甜食店里买来的十二块柠檬蛋糕细细打量了一番。 来自英汉文学 - 盖茨比

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

7 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

8 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

9 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

10 stammering   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀，\"他说，真的有些结结巴巴，\"你好啊？” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

11 counterfeiter   

n.伪造者

参考例句：

• If the illegal gains are very large the counterfeiter shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than seven years and be fined. 对于违法所得数额巨大的，处3年以上7年以下有期徒刑，并处罚金。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Judge: (asking a counterfeiter) Why do you make false money? 法官：（威严地问假币制造者）你为什么制造假币？ 来自互联网