Driven from Home; Or, Carl Crawford's ExperienceAlger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Driven from Home; Or, Carl Crawford's Experience
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Didactic fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Juvenile fiction; Runaway teenagers -- Juvenile fiction
There was besides this interest credited to the amount of seventy-five
dollars. The deposits, therefore, made a grand total of $875.
No doubt Mr. Stuyvesant had stolen this book, but had not as yet found
an opportunity of utilizing it.
“What’s dat?” asked the colored servant.
“A savings bank book. My roommate must have dropped it. It appears to
belong to a lady named Rachel Norris. I wish I could get it to her.”
“Is she an Albany lady, sir?”
“I don’t know.”
“You might look in the directory.”
“So I will. It is a good idea.”
“I hope the gemman didn’t take all your money, sir.”
“No; he didn’t even take half of it. I only wish I had been awake when
the boat got to the dock.”
“I would have called you, sir, if you had asked me.”
“I am not much used to traveling. I shall know better next time what to
do.”
The finding of the bank book partially consoled Carl for the loss of his
pocketbook and gripsack. He was glad to be able to defeat Stuyvesant in
one of his nefarious schemes, and to be the instrument of returning Miss
Norris her savings bank book.
When he left the boat he walked along till he reached a modest-looking
hotel, where he thought the charges would be reasonable. He entered,
and, going to the desk, asked if he could have a room.
“Large or small?” inquired the clerk.
“Small.”
“No. 67. Will you go up now?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Any baggage?”
“No; I had it stolen on the boat.”
The clerk looked a little suspicious.
“We must require pay in advance, then,” he said.
“Certainly,” answered Carl, pulling out a roll of bills. “I suppose you
make special terms to commercial travelers?”
“Are you a drummer?”
“Yes. I represent Henry Jennings, of Milford, New York.”
“All right, sir. Our usual rates are two dollars a day. To you they will
be a dollar and a quarter.”
“Very well; I will pay you for two days. Is breakfast ready?”
“It is on the table, sir.”
“Then I will go in at once. I will go to my room afterwards.”
In spite of his loss, Carl had a hearty appetite, and did justice to the
comfortable breakfast provided. He bought a morning paper, and ran his
eye over the advertising columns. He had never before read an Albany
paper, and wished to get an idea of the city in its business aspect. It
occurred to him that there might be an advertisement of the lost bank
book. But no such notice met his eyes.
He went up to his room, which was small and plainly furnished, but
looked comfortable. Going down again to the office, he looked into the
Albany directory to see if he could find the name of Rachel Norris.
There was a Rebecca Norris, who was put down as a dressmaker, but that
was as near as he came to Rachel Norris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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