Alger Horatio Jr.
The Young Explorer; Or, Claiming His Fortune
CHAPTER IV
A BRILLIANT CHANCE
The week was over, and Ben persisted in his determination to leave Hampton.
"I'm sorry you are going, Ben," said his Cousin Jennie. "I shall miss you awfully."
As Jennie was the prettiest girl in the village, though she did not inherit any good looks from her plain-looking father, Ben was gratified.
"You'd forget me soon," he said.
"No, I won't."
"Especially when Sam Sturgis comes round to see you."
"I don't want to see him. He's a stuck-up boy, and thinks himself too good to associate with common people."
"He wanted to have me black his boots," said Ben.
"He isn't fit to black yours," said Jennie energetically.
"Oh, yes, he is," said Ben, laughing. "That's where you and I disagree."
"I guess we both mean about the same thing," said Jennie, who saw the point.
Ben's resolve to go to California was modified by an advertisement in a New York daily paper which he saw at the village tavern.
It ran thus:
"Wanted, six boys, from fifteen to eighteen years of age, to fill positions of trust. Ten dollars per week will be paid; but a deposit of fifty dollars is required as a guarantee of honesty. This sum will be repaid at the close of term of service. Address Fitch & Perguson, No.—Nassau Street."
This advertisement looked quite attractive to Ben. He copied it, and showed it to Uncle Job.
"Isn't that a good chance, Uncle Job?" he said. "Just think! Ten dollars a week!"
"You'd have to pay your board out of it," said his uncle.
"I know that, but my board wouldn't cost more than four dollars a week. That would leave me six."
"So it would. I declare it does seem to be a good chance. Maybe they've got all the boys they want."
"Why, you see, uncle, there's a good many boys that couldn't pay the deposit money. That would limit the number of applicants. Now, I have the money, and I guess I'd better write to New York at once about it."
"Maybe you had, Ben."
Ben immediately procured a sheet of paper and wrote to the advertisers, stating that he would like the position, and assuring them of his ability to furnish the required sum. The letter went to New York by the afternoon mail.
Naturally Ben was a little excited and suffered a little from suspense. He feared that all the places would be filled, and such another chance was hardly to be expected again very soon. However, on Monday morning he was gratified by the receipt of the following letter:
"No.—NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK.
"MR. BENJAMIN STANTON: Your letter of yesterday is at hand. Fortunately we have one vacancy, the other places being already filled. We have rejected three applicants for it on account of unsatisfactory penmanship. Yours, however, is up to the mark, and we will engage you on the strength of it. It will be necessary for you to report as soon as possible at our office for duty. We require the deposit on account of the sums of money which you will handle. We do not doubt your honesty, but it seems desirable that you should furnish a guarantee, particularly as we pay a much larger salary than is usually given to young clerks.
"Yours respectfully,
"FITCH & FERGUSON.
"P. S. Your engagement will not commence until the fifty dollars are in our hands."
Ben was quite elated by his success.
"I must start to-morrow morning," he said, "or I shall be in danger of losing the place."
"It seems very sudden," said his aunt. "I am afraid I sha'n't have time to get your clothes ready. Some are dirty, and others need mending. If I'd had a little notice-"
"It won't make any difference, Aunt Sarah," said Ben. "I'll take a few clothes in a carpetbag, and you can send the rest by express when they are ready."
"Yes, Sarah, that will be the best way," said Uncle Job. "Ben don't want to run the risk of losing the place by delay."
Mrs. Stanton acquiesced rather unwillingly, and for the remainder of the day Ben was busy making preparations to leave his country home.
CHAPTER V
IN SEARCH OF A PLACE
Ben took the early train to New York on Tuesday morning, and in due time arrived in the city. He carried with him seventy-five dollars out of his small patrimony. Fifty were to be deposited with Messrs. Fitch & Ferguson, as required, and the balance was to defray his expenses till he began to receive a salary. Ben didn't expect to need much of it, for at the end of a week he would be paid ten dollars for his services, and until then he meant to be very economical.
Ben had only been in New York twice before, but he happened to know his way to Nassau Street, and went there at once, with his carpetbag in his hand.
As he entered Nassau Street from Printing-House Square, a bootblack accosted him.
"How are you, country?"
"Are you very anxious to know?" asked Ben, stopping short.
"Yes."
"I'm well enough and strong enough to give you a licking."
"Good for you, country! Have you come to stay long?"
Ben laughed. He concluded not to take offense, but to answer seriously.
"That depends on whether I get the place I am after."
"What is that?" asked the bootblack, in a friendly tone.
Now, on the way to the city, Ben had overheard a conversation between two gentlemen, relative to certain swindlers in New York, which, for the first time, had aroused in him a suspicion that possibly there might be something wrong about the firm whose advertisement he had answered. He felt the need of an adviser, and though his choice may be considered rather a strange one, he decided to consult his new acquaintance, the bootblack. He briefly told him of the advertisement, and what it offered.
The bootblack surveyed him with pitying curiosity.
"You don't mean to say you swallow all that?" he said.
"Don't you think it's all right?" asked Ben anxiously.
"Look here," said the street boy, "do you think anybody's going to pay a boy ten dollars a week, when there's hundreds ready to work for three or four? Why, a man in Pearl Street advertised last week for a boy at three dollars, and there was a whole shoal of boys went for it. I was one of 'em."
"Don't you earn more than that by your business?"
"Sometimes I do, but it ain't stiddy, and I'd rather have a place."
"Why do they advertise to give ten dollars, then?" asked our hero.
"They want to get hold of your fifty dollars," said the bootblack.
"Them fellers is beats, that's what they are."
"What had I better do?" asked Ben, in perplexity.
"Go and see 'em, and have a talk. If they're not after your fifty dollars, you'll know what it means."
"It may be all right, after all," said Ben, who did not like to give up hope.
"I may be General Grant," retorted the bootblack, "but if I know myself I ain't."
"Well, I'll go round and talk with them. Where can I meet you afterwards?"
"I'll be standin' here, if you ain't gone too long."
"What's your name?"
"Tom Cooper."
"I am Ben Stanton. Thank you for your advice."
"You're a good feller if you do come from the country. Just look out for them fellers. Don't let 'em hook you in."
"All right, Tom."
Ben moved on, watching the numbers as he walked slowly along, till he came to the one mentioned in the advertisement. There was a hallway and a staircase, with a directory of persons occupying offices on the floors above. From this Ben ascertained that Fitch & Ferguson occupied Room 17, on the fourth floor.
"I wonder what business they are in," thought our hero as he mounted the stairs. "They must have considerable or they wouldn't need so many boys-that is, if they are on the square."
Presently he stood in front of a door bearing the number 17.
He knocked for admittance.
CHAPTER VI
MR. PITCH, THE SENIOR PARTNER
"Come in," said a loud voice.
Ben opened the door and entered.
He found himself in a square room, almost bare of furniture. In an office chair at a table sat a dark-complexioned man of near forty. He appeared to be reading the morning paper.
"Is this the office of Fitch & Ferguson?" inquired Ben.
A glance at Ben's carpetbag indicated that he had come in answer to the advertisement, and he was received very graciously.
"Come in," said the man in the chair, smiling affably. "This is the office of Fitch & Ferguson. I am Mr. Fitch."
"My name is Stanton-Ben Stanton," said our hero. "I wrote you from Hampton about your advertisement."
"For a boy at ten dollars a week?" suggested the dark man, with a pleasant smile.
"Yes, sir."
"We agreed to take you, did we not?" asked Mr. Fitch.
"Yes, sir."
"Have you had any business experience?" inquired Pitch.
"No, sir."
"I am sorry for that," said Mr. Fitch gravely. "Experience is important. I am not sure whether we ought to pay you ten dollars a week."
Ben did not reply. He was not so much concerned about the amount of his compensation as about the reliable character of Fitch & Ferguson.
"Still," mused Mr. Fitch, "you look like a boy who would learn fast.
What do you think about it yourself?"
"I think I could," answered Ben. "I should try to serve you faithfully."
"That is well. We want to be served faithfully," said Mr. Fitch.
"What kind of a business is it?" Ben ventured to ask, surveying the empty office with a puzzled look, which Mr. Fitch observed and interpreted aright.
"We do a commission business," he said. "Of course, we keep no stock of goods here. Business is not done in the city, my young friend, as it is in the country."
"No, I suppose not," returned our hero.
"Without entering into details as to the character of our business," said Mr. Fitch, "I may say that you would be chiefly employed in making collections. It is because considerable sums of money would pass through your hands that we require a deposit in order to protect ourselves. By the way, have you the fifty dollars with you?"
Ben admitted that he had.
Mr. Fitch's face brightened up, for he had not felt quite sure of that.
"I am glad to hear of it," he said. "It shows that you mean business. You may hand it to me, and I will give you a receipt for it."
"I would like to ask you one or two questions first," said Ben, making no movement toward his pocket.
Mr. Fitch frowned.
"Really, I fail to catch your meaning," he said, in a changed tone.
"Do you wish to enter my employ, or do you not?"
"I should like to earn ten dollars a week."
"Precisely. Then all you have to do is to hand me the fifty dollars and go to work."
"You might keep me only a week," suggested Ben.
"We shall keep you if you suit us, and you can if you try. If you are discharged, we give you back your money, and pay you for the time you work for us. That is fair, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then we may as well settle the matter at once," and he waited for Ben to draw forth his money. Our hero would, undoubtedly, have done so, if he had not been cautioned by Tom Cooper. As it was, he could not help feeling suspicious.
"I should like to propose something to you, sir," he said.
"What is it?" asked Fitch impatiently.
"Suppose you keep five dollars a week out of my wages for ten weeks-that'll make fifty dollars-and only pay it to me when I leave you."
"Young man," said Mr. Fitch sternly, "this is trifling, and my time is too valuable for such discussion. Have you, or have you not, brought fifty dollars with you?"
"I have."
"Then you can secure the place-a place such as few New York boys are fortunate enough to fill. You must decide for yourself."
He threw himself back in his chair and looked at Ben.
"He seems very anxious about the money," thought our hero, "and I don't see any signs of any business. I'd better back out."
"There are plenty of boys who want the place," continued Fitch, trying to look indifferent.
"I guess you can give it to one of them," said Ben coolly.
Mr. Fitch could not conceal his disappointment. The fifty dollars had a great attraction for him. He saw that Ben was in earnest, for he was already opening the door to go out. He must make an effort to detain him.
"Wait a moment, my young friend. I like your appearance, and we may be disposed to take you on a little easier terms. Fifty dollars is probably a large sum to you."
Ben admitted that it was.
"Probably your means are limited?"
"Yes, sir; I am a poor boy."
"Just so. I will then relax our rules a little in your case. Of course, you won't mention it to our other boys, as it might create dissatisfaction."
"No, sir."
"We will take you on a deposit of forty dollars, then."
Ben shook his head, and moved as if to depart.
"In fact," said Mr. Fitch hastily, "I believe I will say thirty dollars, Though I am afraid my partner will blame me."
Ben was not versed in city ways, but now he distrusted Mr. Fitch more than ever.
"I would rather take a situation where no deposit is required," he said.
"But you can't get any unless you agree to accept three or four dollars a week."
"Can you afford to pay me ten dollars a week on account of my deposit?" asked Ben shrewdly.
Mr. Fitch flushed, for Ben's question was a home thrust.
"We don't want cheap boys," he said pompously. "We want boys who are worth high wages, and no others."
"And you think I am worth high wages?" asked Ben.
"I think so, but I may be mistaken."
Ben was not required to answer, for the door opened hastily, and a man entered in visible excitement.
"What is your business, sir?" asked Mr. Fitch, rather nervously.
"Are you Fitch or Ferguson?" demanded the intruder.
"I am Mr. Fitch."
"Two days ago my son, James Cameron, entered your service."
"Yes, sir."
"Where is he now?"
"We have sent him to Brooklyn to collect a bill."
"He paid you a deposit of fifty dollars?"
"Certainly. We require it as a guarantee of honesty and fidelity."
"Well, I want you to pay it back."
"I don't understand you, sir," said Mr. Fitch, looking very much disturbed. "It will be given up when your son leaves our employment."
"Well, he's going to leave it to-day," said the other.
"Can you get him another place as good? Ten dollars a week are not often paid to boys."
"No, sir; it's that that makes me suspicious. Give me back the fifty dollars, and James shall leave your employment."
"That is entirely irregular, sir," said Fitch. "Your son has been only two days in the office. At the end of the week he can leave us, and receive back his money."
"That won't do," said the angry father.
"It will have to do," said Fitch. "You are doing a very foolish thing, Mr. Cameron."
"I'll risk that."
"When your son returns from Brooklyn we will consider what can be done."
"When will that be?"
"In a couple of hours."
"I will come in then."
Cameron went out, and Ben followed him, the discomfited Fitch making no effort to detain the lad.
"I was thinking of engaging myself to Mr. Fitch," said Ben to his companion. "Do you know anything against him?"
"I hear that he's a swindler," said Cameron. "I was a fool to fall into his snare. Keep your money and you'll be better off."
"Thank you, sir."
Fifteen minutes afterward Mr. Fitch left his office, and when Mr. Cameron came back, the door was locked. He found his son waiting in the entry.
"Did you collect any money in Brooklyn?" asked his father.
"No; I guess Mr. Fitch gave me the wrong number. There was no such man living at the house he sent me to."
"We've been fooled!" said the father bitterly. "Come home, James. I doubt we've seen the last of our money. If I ever set eyes on that man Pitch again I'll give him in charge for swindling."
The senior partner of Pitch & Ferguson was at that moment on his way to Philadelphia with the remains of the fifty dollars in his pocket. But for Ben's caution he would have had another fifty dollars in his possession.
CHAPTER VII
BEN'S DINNER-GUEST
Ben slowly retraced his steps to where he had left his friend, Tom Cooper.
"Well," said the bootblack, "did you see Fitch and Ferguson?"
"Yes," answered Ben soberly; "that is, I saw one of them."
"Did you take the place?"
"No; I found he was too anxious for my fifty dollars, though he offered after a while to take me for thirty."
Tom Cooper laughed derisively.
"I'll do better nor that," he said. "If you'll give me twenty dollars, I'll make you my private secretary, payin' you ten dollars a week."
"How long will you keep me?" asked Ben, smiling.
"Six days," answered Tom. "Then I'll have to sack you without pay, 'cause you don't understand your business."
"Is that the way they manage?" asked Ben.
The bootblack nodded.
Ben looked grave. The disappointment was a serious one, and he felt now how much he had relied upon the promises of Fitch & Ferguson. He had formed no other plans, and it seemed likely that he must return to the country to resume his old life. Yet that seemed impracticable. There was no opening there unless he accepted one of the two offers already made him. But he was neither inclined to enter the employ of Deacon Pitkin, nor to become the valet and servant of Sam Sturgis. He was not quite sure whether he would not prefer to become a bootblack, like his new acquaintance.
"What are you goin' to do?" asked Tom.
"I wish I knew," said Ben earnestly. "What can I do?"
"You might go into my business," suggested Tom.
Ben shook his head.
"I don't think I should like that."
"No more would I if I'd got fifty dollars in my pocket. If I was you I'd go into business."
"What kind of business?"
"Well," said Tom reflectively, "you might buy out an apple or a peanut-stand, and have lots of money left."
"Is there much money to be made that way?" inquired Ben.
"Well, I never knowed anybody get rich in that line. I guess you'd make a livin'."
"That wouldn't satisfy me, Tom. What I want most of all is to go to California."
The bootblack whistled.
"That's off ever so far, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's a long way."
"How do you go?"
"There are three ways," answered Ben, who had made himself familiar with the subject. "The first is to go by land-across the plains. Then there is a line of steamers by way of Panama. The longest way is by a sailing-vessel round Cape Horn."
"What would you do when you got to California?" asked Tom.
"Go to work. I suppose I would go to the mines and dig gold."
"I wish it wasn't so far off. I'd like to go myself. Do you think a feller could work his passage?"
"By blacking boots?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe he could. Sailors don't care much about having their boots blacked."
"How much does it cost to go?"
"I don't know."
"Why don't you go to the office and find out?"
"So I will," said Ben, brightening up at the thought. "Do you know where it is?"
"Yes."
"Will you show me?"
"I would if I'd make enough to buy me some dinner. I only had a five-cent breakfast, and I feel kinder holler."
"I feel hungry myself," said Ben. "If you'll go with me I'll buy you some dinner to pay you for your trouble."
"'Nough said!" remarked Tom briefly, as he shouldered his box. "I'm your man. Come along! Where shall we go first?"
"To an eating-house. We might have to wait at the office."
Tom conducted Ben to a cheap restaurant, not far away, where the two for a moderate sum obtained a plentiful meal. Had either been fastidious, some exception might have been taken to the style in which the dishes were served, but neither was critical. A dapper young clerk, however, who sat opposite Tom, seemed quite disturbed by the presence of the bootblack. As his eye rested on Tom he sniffed contemptuously, and frowned. In truth, our friend Tom might be useful, but in his present apparel he was not fitted to grace a drawing-room. He had no coat, his vest was ragged, and his shirt soiled with spots of blacking. There were spots also upon his freckled face, of which Tom was blissfully unconscious. It didn't trouble him any to have a dirty face. "Dirt is only matter in the wrong place," as a philosopher once remarked. Tom was a philosopher in his own way.
The young clerk pulled out a scented handkerchief, and applied it to his nose, looking at Tom meanwhile.
"What's the matter of yer?" inquired Tom, suspecting the cause of the dandy's discomfort. "Be you sick?"
"It's enough to make one sick to sit at the table with you," answered the clerk.
"Why?"
"You are absolutely filthy. Don't you know any better than to come in where there are gentlemen?"
"I don't see any except him," said Tom, indicating Ben with his glance.
"This is really too much. Here, waiter!"
A waiter answered the summons.
"What is it, sir?"
"Just remove my plate to another table, will you?"
"Is anything the matter, sir?"
"I am not accustomed to associate with bootblacks," said the clerk loftily.
"All right, sir."
"I am really surprised that you admit any of that low class."
"As long as they pay their bills we are willing to receive them."
"I don't believe that boy has got enough to pay for his dinner."
The waiter, at this suggestion, looked at Tom rather suspiciously. After removing the plate of the sensitive customer, he came back to the table where the two boys were seated.
"Have you given your order?" he asked.
"Yes."
"If you haven't got money enough to pay your check you'll be bounced."
"Don't you trouble yourself, old woolly head," said Tom coolly. "My friend pays the bills. He's a banker down in Wall Street, and he's rich enough to buy out your whole place."
"The dinner will be paid for," said Ben, smiling.
"All right, gentlemen," said the waiter, more respectfully. "We'll be glad to see you any time."
"Tom," said Ben, "I'm afraid you don't always tell the truth."
"Why not?"
"You told the waiter I was a Wall Street banker, and rich."
"Oh, what's the odds? You're rich enough to pay for the dinners, and that's all he wants."
"You came near spoiling the appitite of that young man over at the opposite table."
"I'd like to spoil his beauty. He feels too big. I don't like to see a feller put on so many airs. What's the matter of me, I'd like to know?"
"Why, you see, Tom, your face isn't very clean. There are spots of blacking on it."
"A feller can't be always washin' his face. I'll wash it to-morrow mornin' at the lodge. Does it take away your appetite, too?"
"Not a bit," said Ben, laughing. "Nothing but a good dinner will take away that."
"You're the kind of feller I like," said Tom emphatically. "You don't put on no airs."
"I can't afford to," said Ben. "I'm a poor boy myself."
"I wouldn't feel poor if I had fifty dollars," returned Tom.
"I hope you'll have it sometime, and a good deal more."
"So do I. When I'm a rich man, I'll wash my face oftener."
"And put blacking on your boots instead of your face," added Ben.
"It might look better," Tom admitted.
When dinner was over the two boys directed their steps to the California steamship office, on one of the North River piers.
