Rufus and Rose; Or, The Fortunes of Rough and Ready

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  CHAPTER XVII.

  DIVIDING THE SPOILS.

  Martin did not fail to go to the house occupied by his employers, in theevening. He was anxious to learn the amount of the booty which he hadtaken. He decided that it must be ten thousand dollars at least. Half ofthis would be five thousand, and this, according to the agreementbetween them, was to come to him. It was quite a fortune, and thethought of it dazzled Martin's imagination. He would be able to retirefrom business, and resolved to do so, for he did not like the risk whichhe incurred by following his present employment.

  Martin had all his life wished to live like a gentleman,--that is, tolive comfortably without work; and now his wish seemed likely to begratified. In the eyes of some, five thousand dollars would seem rathera small capital to warrant such a life; but it seemed a great deal to ashiftless character like him. Besides, the box might contain more thanten thousand dollars, and in that case, of course, his own share wouldbe greater.

  So, on the whole, it was with very pleasant anticipations that Martinascended the front steps of the counterfeiter's den, and rang the bell.

  Meanwhile Smith had opened the box, and his disappointment had beengreat when he found the nature of its contents. Actually but fourhundred dollars were immediately available, and, as the banker no doubthad recorded the number of the government bonds, there would be risk inselling them. Besides, even if sold, they would produce, at the marketprice, barely eleven hundred dollars. As to the bank and railway shares,they could not be negotiated, and no doubt duplicates would be appliedfor. So, after all, the harvest was likely to prove small, especially asSmith had passed his word to divide with Martin.

  After a while it occurred to him that, as Martin did not know thecontents of the box, he could easily be deceived into supposing themless than they were. He must tell a falsehood; but then Smith'sconscience was tough, and he had told a great many in the course of hislife.

  When Martin was ushered into the room, he found his confederate lookingrather sober.

  "Have you opened the box?" inquired Martin, eagerly.

  "Yes," said Smith, rather contemptuously. "A great haul you made, I mustsay."

  "Wasn't there anything in it?" asked Martin, in dismay.

  "Yes, there were plenty of bank and railroad shares."

  "Can't we sell them?" queried Martin, whose knowledge of business waslimited.

  "You must be a fool! We can't sell them without the owner's indorsement.Perhaps you'll call and ask him for it."

  "Can't we do anything with them, then?" asked Martin, anxiously.

  "Nothing at all."

  "Wasn't there nothing else in the box?"

  "Yes, there was a government bond for five hundred dollars."

  Smith concluded to mention only one.

  "That's something."

  "Yes, it's something. You can sell it after a while, and bring me halfthe money."

  "Will there be any danger in selling it?"

  "None to speak of," said Smith, who was afraid Martin might declineselling it, unless he gave this assurance.

  "Wasn't there any money?" asked Martin, disappointed.

  "Yes, there was a trifle,--a hundred dollars," answered his unscrupulousconfederate, who was certainly cheating Martin in the most barefacedmanner.

  "Half of that belongs to me," said Martin.

  "Of course it does. Do you think I wouldn't treat you fair?"

  "No," said his dupe. "I know, Mr. Smith, you're a man of honor."

  "Of course I am. I'd like to see anybody say I wasn't. I've lefteverything in the box just as it was, so you might see it was allright."

  He went to the cupboard, and, unlocking it, produced the box, of whichhe lifted the lid. The certificates of stock were at the bottom. Abovethem, folded up, was the five-twenty U. S. bond for five hundreddollars, and upon it a small roll of green-backs.

  "You see it's just as I say, Martin," said Smith, with an air offrankness. "There's the shares that we can't do anything with, here'sthe bond, and there's the money. Just take and count it, I may have beenmistaken in the amount."

  Martin counted the roll of bills, and made out just one hundred dollars.Of course he could not be expected to know that there had been threehundred more, which, together with the other bond, were carefullyconcealed in his confederate's breast-pocket.

  "Yes, it's just a hundred dollars," he said, after finishing the count.

  "Well, take fifty of them, and put in your pocket."

  Martin did so.

  "It aint what I expected," he said, rather ruefully. "If I'd knowedthere was so little in the box, I wouldn't have taken it."

  "Well, it's better than nothing," said Smith, who could afford to bephilosophical, having appropriated to himself seven-eighths of themoney, and three-fourths of the bonds. "There's the bond, you know."

  "Let me see it."

  Smith extended it to Martin.

  "When shall I sell it?" asked he.

  "Not just yet. Wait till the affair blows over a little."

  "Do you think there's any danger, then?" queried Martin, anxiously.

  "Not much. Still it's best to be prudent."

  "Hadn't you better sell it yourself?"

  "Suppose I did," said Smith. "I might take the notion to walk off withall the money."

  "I don't think you would," said Martin, surveying his confederatedoubtfully, nevertheless.

  "No, I don't think I would; but if you sell it yourself, you'll have theaffair in your own hands."

  "But _I_ might walk off with all the money, too," said Martin, whothought it a poor rule that didn't work both ways.

  "I don't think you would," said Smith, "and I'll tell you why. Webelong to a large band, that are bound together by a terrible oath topunish any one guilty of treachery. Suppose you played me false, and didas you say,--though of course I know you don't mean it,--I wouldn't givethat for your life;" and he snapped his fingers.

  "Don't!" said Martin, with a shudder. "You make me shiver. Of course Ididn't mean anything. I'm on the square."

  "Certainly, I only told you what would happen to you or me, or any onethat was false to the others."

  "I think I'd rather have you sell the bond," said Martin, nervously.

  "If I were in your case, I'd be perfectly willing; but the fact is, thebrokers know me too well. They suspect me, and they won't suspect you."

  "I think I've had my share of the risk," grumbled Martin. "I don't seebut I do the work, and you share the profits."

  "Wasn't it I that put you up to it?" demanded Smith. "Would you everhave thought of it if it hadn't been for me?"

  "Maybe I wouldn't. I wish I hadn't."

  "You're a fool, then! Don't you see it's turned out all right? Haven'tyou got fifty dollars in your pocket, and won't you have two hundred andfifty more when the bond is sold?"

  "I thought I'd get five thousand," said Martin, dissatisfied.

  "It seems to me that three hundred dollars is pretty good pay for onemorning's work; but then there are some people that are neversatisfied."

  "It wasn't the work, it was the danger. I aint at all sure but the boysaw me, and knew who I was. If he did, I've got to keep out of the way."

  "Do you think he did recognize you?" asked Smith, thoughtfully.

  "I'm not sure. I'm afraid he did."

  "I wish we'd got him in our clutches. But I dare say he was toofrightened to tell who it was."

  "He aint easy frightened," said Martin, shaking his head. He understoodour hero better than his confederate.

  "Well, all is, you must be more careful for a few days. Instead ofstaying in the city, I'll send you to Jersey City, Newark, and otherplaces where you won't be likely to meet him."

  "That might do," said Martin; "he's a smart boy, though he's anundootiful son. He don't care no more for me than if I was no kith norkin to him, and he just as lieves see me sent to prison as not."

  "There's one thing you haven't thought of," said Smith.

  "What's that?"
r />   "His employer will most likely think that the boy has stolen the box, orhad something to do with its being carried off. As he took him out ofthe street, he won't have much confidence in his honesty. I shouldn't beat all surprised if this undootiful boy of yours, as you call him, foundhimself locked up in the Tombs, on account of this little affair."

  "Do you think so?" said Martin, brightening up at the suggestion.

  "I think it more likely than not. If that is the case, of course youwon't be in any danger from him."

  "That's so," said Martin, cheerfully. "I hope you're right. It would beworth something to have that young imp locked up. He wouldn't put on somany airs after that."

  "Well, it's very likely to happen."

  The contemplation of this possibility so raised Martin's spirits, that,in spite of the disappointment he had experienced in finding the bootyso far below what he had anticipated, he became quite cheerful,especially after Smith produced a bottle of whiskey, and asked him tohelp himself,--an invitation which he did not have occasion to repeat.