Chapter 36 A Letter From Tom Sloan

 When Fred presented himself at home, after a fortnight's absence, his mother and little brother were overjoyed.

 

"It's been awfully¹ lonely since you went away, Fred," said Albert.

 

"I have felt like Albert," said Mrs. Fenton. "But it was not that that worried me most. I was afraid you might meet with some accident."

 

"I've come home safe and sound, mother, as you see. But you don't ask me whether I succeeded in my mission."

 

"I don't know what your mission was."

 

"No; it was a secret of Mr. Wainwright's, and I was bound to keep it secret. I can tell you now. I was sent to Canada to recover over ten thousand dollars' worth of stolen bonds."

 

Mrs. Fenton looked amazed.

 

"A boy like you!" she said.

 

"I don't wonder you are surprised. I was surprised myself."

 

"But who had the bonds, and how did you recover them?"

 

"Two men were in the conspiracy². One of them was sorry for the theft, and ready to help me. The other meant to keep them. He had taken them away from his partner and hidden them in the forest."

 

"And you found them?"

 

"Yes; sit down and I will tell you the story."

 

Fred did so, and when it was finished he added: "How much do you think Mr. Wainwright paid me for my trouble?"

 

"He ought to pay you handsomely."

 

"What would you consider paying me handsomely?"

 

"Fifty dollars," answered his mother.

 

"He gave me a thousand dollars!"

 

"A thousand!" ejaculated Mrs. Fenton, incredulous.

 

"Yes."

 

"Where's the money?" asked Albert.

 

"He gave it to me in a check. I shall collect it to-morrow, and invest it in some safe way."

 

"I can't realize it, Fred," said Mrs. Fenton. "Why, it will make us rich."

 

"But that isn't all. My salary is raised to twenty-five dollars a week."

 

"I never heard of such wages being given to a boy like you."

 

"It was my second offer this morning. A merchant, a friend of Mr. Wainwright, offered me twenty dollars to go into his office."

 

"That is better than being a train boy, Fred."

 

"Yes; but I was glad to work on the trains when I had nothing better to do."

 

Just then the peculiar³ whistle of the postman was heard.

 

"Run down-stairs, Albert, and see if there are any letters for us," said Fred.

 

The little boy returned in a moment with an envelope directed to Fred Fenton, and postmarked Central City, Colorado. He opened it hastily⁴, and exclaimed: "This is from Mr. Sloan, who visited us a few months since."

 

"Read it, Fred."

 

The letter was written in rather an illegible⁵ hand, and the spelling was rather eccentric⁶, for Mr. Sloan was not a scholar. As corrected it ran thus:

 

FRIEND FRED--I suppose you haven't forgotten your old friend Tom Sloan. I have often thought of how I enjoyed myself at your home, and wished I could call in and take a cup of tea with you and your mother.

 

About that land you asked me to see, I've got good news for you. There's a town built around it, and the price has gone up to fancy figures. There's a party here that wants to buy it for five thousand dollars, but I think I can get a little more. If your mother will send me a power of attorney⁷, I will sell it, and send you on the money. I'll do my best for you. No wonder that old skinflint, your uncle, wanted to buy it. He'd have made a big thing out of it. He was a fool not to take it at your own figures.

 

I hope you are all well, and I shouldn't wonder if I might see you pretty soon. I've been lucky myself, and made a respectable⁸ pile. Old Tom Sloan doesn't get left if he can help it.

 

Well, good-by. Send on the power of attorney by return of mail.

 

Yours till death,

 

TOM SLOAN.

 

"Five thousand dollars!" ejaculated Mrs. Fenton. "I can't believe it."

 

"You will, mother, when you get the money. There's no time to be lost. I'll go out at once and get the power of attorney, and we'll write at once, telling Mr. Sloan to do whatever he thinks best. Do you agree to that, mother?"

 

"Yes, Fred. He is a good man and I trust him entirely⁹." 

1 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

2 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

3 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

4 hastily   

ad.过于匆忙地，急急忙忙地

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily. 我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。

5 illegible   

adj.难以辨认的，字迹模糊的

参考例句：

• It is impossible to deliver this letter because the address is illegible.由于地址字迹不清，致使信件无法投递。
• Can you see what this note says—his writing is almost illegible!你能看出这个便条上写些什么吗？他的笔迹几乎无法辨认。

6 eccentric   

adj.古怪的，怪癖的，异乎寻常的；n.古怪的人

参考例句：

• His actions since that morning have been eccentric and unpredictable.自从那天早晨，他的行动一直是反常而不可捉摸。
• He had the name of an eccentric.他有怪人之称。

7 attorney   

n.（业务或法律事务上的）代理人，辩护律师

参考例句：

• He acted as attorney for me.他充当我的律师。
• The attorney for the union accused the Mayor of playing politics.工会的律师谴责市长在这次罢工中耍阴谋。

8 respectable   

n.品格高尚的人；adj.值得尊重的，人格高尚的，不少的

参考例句：

• She seems respectable enough.她看上去挺体面的。
• His savings were just enough to pay for a respectable funeral.他的存款刚好够办一个体面的葬礼。

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。