Slow and Sure: The Story of Paul Hoffman the Young Street-Merchant

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  CHAPTER XXII.

  MARLOWE OVERTAKES HIS VICTIM.

  On emerging into the street the two boys parted company. It was timefor Paul to go back to his business. Julius was more indifferent toemployment. He had five dollars in his pocket, and forty-five dollarsdeposited with Paul. Accustomed to live from hand to mouth, this madehim feel very rich. It was a bright, pleasant day, and it occurred tohim that it would be very pleasant to make an excursion somewhere, itmade little difference to him where. The first place that occurred tohim was Staten Island. It is six miles from the city or half an hourby water. The boats start from a pier near the Battery.

  "Where's he going, I wonder?" thought Marlowe, following at a littledistance.

  As no conversation had passed between the boys about the excursion, hewas quite in the dark; but he was determined to follow where-ever itmight be. He soon ascertained. Julius met a street acquaintance--TomBarker, a newsboy--and accosted him.

  "Tom, come with me."

  "Where you goin'?"

  "To Staten Island."

  "What's up?"

  "Nothin'. I'm goin' for the benefit of my health. Come along."

  "I can't come."

  "Haven't you got the stamps? I'll pay."

  "I've got to go to Twenty-seventh street on an errand. I'll go withyou to-morrow."

  "Can't wait," said Julius. "I must go alone."

  "Goin' to Staten Island," thought Marlowe, in exultation. "I'll get achance at him there."

  Marlowe had not much money with him, but he had enough to pay the fareto Staten Island--ten cents. So he kept on the track of Julius, andpassed the wicket just behind him. The boat was approaching the pier,and they had not long to wait. Julius went to the forward part of theboat, and took a seat just in front of the boiler. Marlowe took aposition near, but not too near. He had considerable confidence in hisdisguise, but did not want to run any unnecessary risk of recognition.It so happened that a few steps from him was a genuine specimen of theprofession he was counterfeiting. With the sociability characteristicof a sailor, he undertook to open a conversation with Marlowe.

  "Hollo, shipmate!" he said.

  "Hollo, yourself!" said the counterfeit, not over pleased with thesalutation.

  "I thought I'd hail you, seein' we both foller the sea. Have you beenlong ashore?"

  "Not long," answered Marlowe.

  "Where was your last v'y'ge?"

  "To Californy," answered Marlowe, hesitating.

  "What craft?"

  Here was an embarrassing question. Marlowe wished his questioner atthe North Pole, but felt compelled to answer.

  "The--Sally Ann," he answered.

  "You don't say!" said the other, with animation. "I was aboard theSally Ann myself, one v'y'ge."

  "Confound you, I'm sorry to hear it!" thought the impostor.

  "There's more than one Sally Ann, it's likely," he said. "Who was yourcaptain?"

  "Captain Rice."

  "Mine was Captain Talbot."

  "How long was your v'y'ge, shipmate?"

  Now Marlowe had no knowledge of the number of days such a voyage oughtto take. He knew that the California steamers came in in three or fourweeks, and the difference of speed did not occur to him, not to speakof the vastly greater distance round Cape Horn.

  "Thirty days," he answered, at random.

  "Thirty days!" exclaimed the sailor, in amazement. "Did you go roundthe Horn in thirty days?"

  "Yes, we had favorable winds," explained Marlowe.

  "He must be crazy, or he's no sailor," thought the true son ofNeptune.

  He was about to ask another question, when Marlowe, who suspected thathe had made a blunder, turned abruptly, and walked away.

  "He ain't no sailor," said the questioner to himself. "He never livedin the forecastle, I know by his walk."

  Marlowe had not the rolling gait of a seaman, and the other detectedit at once.

  "Went round the Horn in thirty days!" soliloquized the sailor. "Thatyarn's too tough for me to swallow. What's he got on that rig for?"

  Meanwhile, Julius looked around him with enjoyment. Cheap as theexcursion was, he had but once made it before. It had been seldom thathe had even twenty cents to spare, and when he had money, he hadpreferred to go to the Old Bowery or Tony Pastor's for an evening'sentertainment. Now he felt the refreshing influence of the sea breeze.He was safe from Marlowe, so he thought. He had left danger behind himin the great, dusty city. Before him was a vision of green fields, andthe delight of an afternoon without work and without care. He was sureof a good supper and a comfortable bed; for had he not five dollars inhis pocket? Julius felt as rich as Stewart or Vanderbilt, and so hewas for the time being. But he would have felt anxious, could he haveseen the baleful glance of the disguised sailor; for Marlowe, thoughhe had changed his seat, still managed to keep Julius in sight. Butthere was another who in turn watched him, and that was the genuinesailor. The latter was bent on finding out the meaning of thedisguise, for disguise he knew it to be. He was not long indiscovering that Marlowe was watching Julius with a malignant glance.

  "He hates the lad," thought the sailor. "Does he mean him harm?"

  He was making an excursion of pleasure, but he had another object inview. He had a cousin living on Staten Island, and he was intending tomake him a call; but this business was not imperative, and he resolvedto follow out the present adventure.

  "If he tries to harm the lad," said the kindhearted sailor, "he'llhave 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 gotoff. But Julius made no motion to disembark, and of course Marlowe didnot. Shortly afterward the second landing was reached; but it was notuntil the boat touched the third that Julius rose from his seat anddescended the stairs to the lower deck. The two sailors followed.

  Julius walked up the road that leads to the pier. He had no particulardestination. He cared little where he went, his main object being toget back into the country. The sailor soon perceived that Marlowe hadno object except to follow Julius. All his movements depended upon theboy's. When Julius turned, he turned also.

  "What has he got ag'in the boy?" thought the sailor. "He shan't harmhim if Jack Halyard can prevent it."

  Marlowe was tall and strong, and a formidable opponent. The sailor wasthree inches shorter, but he was broad-shouldered, and had an immensechest. It was clear that he was very powerful. He was thoroughly bravealso. Fear was a stranger to him, and he did not hesitate for a momentto encounter Marlowe in the boy's defense.

  Julius kept on. At one place he stopped to watch two boys who werepitching ball to each other. He asked them if he might join in thegame; but the boys looked contemptuously at his shabby clothes, andone 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 richsome time, perhaps."

  The possibility of becoming rich had never occurred to him beforeto-day; but Mr. O'Connor's words, and the fifty dollars which had beengiven him, made him hopeful and ambitious. He had heard that some ofthe rich men who owned warehouses in the great city had once been poorboys like himself. Might he not rise like them? For the first time inhis life he seemed to be having a chance.

  Marlowe saw him leave the boys with satisfaction. Had Julius stoppedto play with them his scheme of vengeance would have been delayed,perhaps frustrated. It would not do for him to attack the boy in thepresence of others. But Julius w r as walking away from the villageinto the interior. If he only went far enough he would be at hismercy.

  What should he do to him
? He might kill him, but killing is rather adangerous game to play at in a civilized community.

  "I'll take his money," thought Marlowe, "and beat him within an inchof his life. I'll teach him to betray me!"

  At length Julius wandered to a spot solitary enough to suit hispurpose. Strange to say, the boy had not turned, or noticed hispursuer. Marlowe was quite out of his thoughts. Who would think offinding him in this quiet scene? But he was destined to be rudelyawakened from his dream of security. All at once he felt a hand uponhis shoulder. Turning quickly, he saw one whom he supposed to be asailor.

  "What's wanted?" he asked.

  "You're wanted."

  "What for?" asked Julius, not yet recognizing his enemy.

  "Don't you know me?" asked Marlowe.

  "No."

  "But I know you, you young villain!" exclaimed Marlowe, unable longerto repress his fury. "I'm the man you sold along with Jack Morgan.I've got a reckoning with you, my lad, and it's goin' to be a heavyone. I haven't followed you all the way from New York for nothing."