Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-MerchantAlger, Horatio, Jr.
General
Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant
Alger, Horatio, Jr.
Boys -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Juvenile fiction
He was making an excursion of pleasure, but he had another object in
view. He had a cousin living on Staten Island, and he was intending to
make him a call; but this business was not imperative, and he resolved
to follow out the present adventure.
"If he tries to harm the lad," said the kindhearted sailor, "he'll
have to take me too."
So while Marlowe watched Julius, he was watched in turn.
The boat reached the first landing, and some of the passengers got
off. But Julius made no motion to disembark, and of course Marlowe did
not. Shortly afterward the second landing was reached; but it was not
until the boat touched the third that Julius rose from his seat and
descended the stairs to the lower deck. The two sailors followed.
Julius walked up the road that leads to the pier. He had no particular
destination. He cared little where he went, his main object being to
get back into the country. The sailor soon perceived that Marlowe had
no object except to follow Julius. All his movements depended upon the
boy's. When Julius turned, he turned also.
"What has he got ag'in the boy?" thought the sailor. "He shan't harm
him if Jack Halyard can prevent it."
Marlowe was tall and strong, and a formidable opponent. The sailor was
three inches shorter, but he was broad-shouldered, and had an immense
chest. It was clear that he was very powerful. He was thoroughly brave
also. Fear was a stranger to him, and he did not hesitate for a moment
to encounter Marlowe in the boy's defense.
Julius kept on. At one place he stopped to watch two boys who were
pitching ball to each other. He asked them if he might join in the
game; but the boys looked contemptuously at his shabby clothes, and
one of them said, rudely:
"We don't play with ragamuffins."
"I ain't a ragamuffin!" said Julius.
"Perhaps you're a gentleman in disguise," said one, with a sneer.
"I'm as much of a gentleman as you are," retorted Julius, angrily.
"Clear out, you beggar! We don't want you here," said the second boy,
arrogantly.
Julius walked on indignantly.
"They insult me because I am poor," he said to himself. "I'll be rich
some time, perhaps."
The possibility of becoming rich had never occurred to him before
to-day; but Mr. O'Connor's words, and the fifty dollars which had been
given him, made him hopeful and ambitious. He had heard that some of
the rich men who owned warehouses in the great city had once been poor
boys like himself. Might he not rise like them? For the first time in
his life he seemed to be having a chance.
Marlowe saw him leave the boys with satisfaction. Had Julius stopped
to play with them his scheme of vengeance would have been delayed,
perhaps frustrated. It would not do for him to attack the boy in the
presence of others. But Julius w r as walking away from the village
into the interior. If he only went far enough he would be at his
mercy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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