CHAPTER V. AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE.

Crawford Lane was considerably¹ disconcerted.

"I will call later and buy the ticket," he said to the broker². "At present I have some business with this young rascal³, who robbed me this morning of a considerable sum of money. Now he has the assurance to make a charge against me."

The broker looked from one to the other. He was bewildered, and could not decide which to believe.

Crawford Lane and the two boys went out into the street.

"Now, Mr. Lane," said Scott, in a resolute⁴ tone, "please hand over that money."

"So you are acting⁵ the part of a highway robber, are you? If you know what is best for yourself you will get away from here as soon as possible."

[Pg 37]

"I am ready to go as soon as you give me my money. If not——"

"Well, if not?"

"I will summon a policeman."

It chanced that a member of the Broadway squad⁶ was within hearing.

He stopped and said: "Am I wanted here?"

"Yes," replied Lane, quickly; "I want you to arrest that boy."

"On what charge?"

"Robbery. I took pity on him, and though I knew scarcely anything of him, I let him occupy the same room with myself at a hotel on the Bowery last night. He stole some Bank of England notes from my pocket while I was sleeping, and I want him arrested."

Scott's breath was quite taken away by the audacious misrepresentation of his treacherous⁷ acquaintance.

"Well, what have you to say?" asked the policeman.

"Only that this man was himself the thief, and stole the notes from me."

"You young rascal!" exclaimed Lane, in assumed indignation. "That is a likely story. I leave it to the officer which was more likely to[Pg 38] have money to be taken—a gentleman like myself, or a boy like you."

"I think you will have to come with me," said the officer to Scott.

"But," put in John Schickling, "that man has told you a lie. He owes my mother nine dollars for room rent."

"I never saw the boy before in the whole course of my life," said Lane, boldly. "He seems to be a confederate of the boy who robbed me."

"You can tell your story at the police station," said the policeman to Scott. "You, sir, can go with me and prefer a charge."

"I am in a great hurry," replied Lane, taking out his watch. "I will call at the police station in an hour. Now I have an important engagement."

"You will have to come now," said the officer, beginning to be suspicious.

"Oh, well, if it is necessary," said Lane, determined⁸ to brazen⁹ it out.

Scott was considerably taken aback at the unexpected turn which matters had taken, and felt some anxiety.

"Will you come with me?" he said, addressing John Schickling.

"You bet I will," responded John, briskly. "I[Pg 39] ain't goin' back on a friend. I'll tell you what I know about this man."

"You'd better clear out," said Lane, "if you know what is best for you, or you'll find yourself in hot water, too."

"I'll take the risk," rejoined John, not at all alarmed.

So they started for the station house in the City Hall, when something unexpected happened.

A young man, handsomely dressed, met the procession, as he was himself walking up Broadway. His eyes lighted up when they rested on Crawford Lane.

He darted¹⁰ forward, and grasped him by the arm.

"At last I have found you!" he exclaimed. "Officer, I call upon you to arrest this man."

The officer stared, surprised as he might well be.

Crawford Lane tried to release himself from the grasp of the speaker, and had he succeeded would have fled unceremoniously.

"What does this mean?" asked the policeman. "He is going with me to the station house to prefer a charge against this boy."

"That's a good joke! He prefer a charge!"

[Pg 40]

"He says the boy has robbed him."

"Then you may conclude that he has robbed the boy. He robbed me in London some weeks since, and I have just caught him."

"This is all a mistake," said Lane, hurriedly. "Officer, you may let the boy go."

"Do you withdraw the charge?"

"Yes."

"I prefer to go to the station house," said Scott, quietly. "I wish to tell my story there. This man stole ten pounds from me in English money."

At this moment there was a sudden excitement in the street. A man had been knocked over by a passing truck, and all eyes were turned toward the scene of the accident.

Justin Wood removed his hand from the arm of Crawford Lane, and the latter lost no time in taking advantage of his freedom. He darted down a side street, and when his companions turned to look for him he had disappeared.

Justin Wood looked annoyed.

"He has escaped this time," he exclaimed, "but I will have him yet."

"Then I shall not be needed," said the officer, as he resumed his beat.

[Pg 41]

"How did this man get a chance to rob you?" asked Justin Wood, turning to Scott.

Scott briefly¹¹ explained.

"Did he take all your money?"

"No, sir. I have ten pounds left."

"Pardon me, but is this all you have?"

"Yes, sir."

"But you have a home?"

"Only such a home as I may be able to make for myself."

"Have you no relatives in this city?"

"Yes, sir, I have one. I am going to see him if I can, this afternoon."

Mr. Wood took a card from his pocket.

"I am staying at the Gilsey House," he said. "If you need help or advice, call there and send up your name. By the way, what is your name, my boy?"

"Scott Walton."

"I shall remember it. Now I must leave you as, like your late friend, I have an important engagement."

"I suppose I must be getting back," said John, "as my brother will need me. I am sorry I didn't collect the nine dollars from that jay."

"He has got the best of all of us," returned[Pg 42] Scott. "Where do you live? I may want to look you up some day."

"In West Thirty-sixth Street," said John. "I haven't got any card with me, but I can give you the number."

"I won't forget it. You have been my first friend in New York, and I don't want to lose you."

"I never thought I would like an English boy before," said John, "but I like you."

"Thank you. I hope we shall remain friends."

When Scott was left alone it occurred to him that he had not yet exchanged his English money, and he returned to the broker's office, where he made the exchange, receiving about fifty dollars in greenbacks.

"This is all I have to depend upon," reflected Scott. "It won't do for me to remain at the hotel much longer. My money would soon be gone."

He had ascertained¹² that the rates at the hotel were two dollars a day, including board.

This was not a large price, but Scott felt that it was more than he could afford to pay. It was absolutely necessary that he should begin to earn something as soon as possible.

He could decide upon nothing till he had seen[Pg 43] his mother's cousin, Ezra Little. If that gentleman should agree to take him into his store in any capacity, he felt that his anxieties would be at an end. Hence, it was desirable that he should see Mr. Little as soon as possible. He had already ascertained that his relative was in the dry-goods business on Eighth Avenue, but he felt that it would be better to call upon him at his residence on West Forty-seventh Street. Probably Mr. Little would have more leisure to talk with him there.

It was with a fast-beating heart that Scott, standing¹³ on the steps of a three-story brick house on West Forty-seventh Street, rang the bell.

The door was opened by a servant girl.

Just behind her was a boy who looked to be about Scott's age, and who listened inquisitively¹⁴ to what Scott had to say.

"Is Mr. Little at home?"

"He will be in in a few minutes. You can come in and wait for him."

"I should like to do so."

The servant opened the door leading into a small reception room to the left of the front hall, and Scott, entering, seated himself.

The boy already referred to entered also. He[Pg 44] was a very plain-looking youth with light red hair.

"Did you have business with Mr. Little?" he asked, curiously¹⁵. "I am his son."

"Yes."

"Do you come from the store?"

"No."

"Perhaps you are meaning to apply for a place there?"

"I should be glad if your father would give me a place. I have just come from England. My mother was a cousin of Mr. Little."

1 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。

2 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

3 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

4 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

7 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

10 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》

11 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。

12 ascertained   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

14 inquisitively   

过分好奇地； 好问地

参考例句：

• The Mouse looked at her rather inquisitively, and seemed to her to wink with one of its little eyes, but It'said nothing. 这老鼠狐疑地看着她，好像还把一只小眼睛向她眨了眨，但没说话。
• The mouse looked at her rather inquisitively. 那只耗子用疑问的眼光看看她。

15 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。