Fame and Fortune; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter

by Jr. Horatio Alger

  CHAPTER V.

  DICK RECEIVES TWO VALUABLE PRESENTS.

  At the end of the last chapter we left Dick standing on the steps of Mr.Rockwell's residence in Madison Avenue. He had rung the bell and waswaiting to have his summons answered. To say that Dick expected to enjoyhis visit would not be strictly true. He knew very well that his streeteducation had not qualified him to appear to advantage in fashionablesociety, and he wished that Fosdick were with him to lend himcountenance.

  While under the influence of these feelings the door was thrown open,and a servant looked at him inquiringly.

  "Is Mr. Rockwell at home?" asked Dick.

  "Yes. Would you like to see him?"

  "He asked me to call this evening."

  "What! Are you the boy that saved Master Johnny from drowning?" askedthe servant, her face brightening up, for Johnny was a great favorite inthe house.

  "I jumped into the water after him," said Dick, modestly.

  "I heard Mr. Rockwell say he was expecting you to-night. Come right in.Mistress is very anxious to see you."

  Placed a little at his ease by this cordial reception, Dick followed theservant upstairs to a pleasant sitting-room on the second floor. Mr. andMrs. Rockwell were seated at a centre-table reading the evening papers,while Johnny and his sister Grace were constructing a Tower of Babelwith some blocks upon the carpet before the fire.

  Dick entered, and stood just within the door, with his cap in his hand,feeling a little embarrassed.

  "I am glad to see you, Richard," said Mr. Rockwell, rising from hisseat, and advancing to our hero with a pleasant smile. "Mrs. Rockwellhas been anxious to see you. My dear, this is the brave boy who savedour little Johnny."

  Mrs. Rockwell, a tall, graceful lady, with a smile that quite captivatedDick, offered her hand, and said, earnestly, "My brave boy, I have beenwishing to see you. I shudder to think that, but for your promptcourage, I should now be mourning the loss of my dear little Johnny.Accept a mother's thanks for a favor so great that she can never hope torepay it."

  Now this acknowledgment was very pleasant to Dick, but it was also veryembarrassing. It is difficult to receive praise gracefully. So our hero,not knowing what else to say, stammered out that she was very welcome.

  "I understand that you have entered my husband's employment," said Mrs.Rockwell.

  "Yes," said Dick. "He was kind enough to take me."

  "I hope to make a man of business of our young friend," said Mr.Rockwell. "He will soon feel at home in his new position, and I hope wemay find the connection mutually satisfactory."

  "Have you a pleasant boarding-place?" asked Mrs. Rockwell.

  "Tip-top," said Dick. "I mean pretty good," he added, in a littleconfusion.

  "Where is it?"

  "In Bleecker Street," said Dick, very glad that he was not obliged tosay Mott Street.

  "That is quite a good location," said Mr. Rockwell. "How do you spendyour evenings, Richard?"

  "In studying with a friend of mine," said Dick. "I want to knowsomething by the time I grow up."

  "That is an excellent resolution," said his employer, with warmapproval. "I wish more boys of your age were equally sensible. You maydepend upon it that a good education is the best preparation for anhonorable and useful manhood. What is your friend's name?"

  "Henry Fosdick. He rooms with me."

  "I am glad you have a friend who shares your tastes. But perhaps youwould like to renew your acquaintance with the young gentleman to whomyou have rendered so great a service. Johnny has been allowed to stay upbeyond his usual bedtime because you were coming. Johnny, come here!"

  Johnny rose from his blocks, and came to his mother's side. He was apleasant-looking little fellow, with a pair of bright eyes, and round,plump cheeks. He looked shyly at Dick.

  "Did you ever see this young man?" asked his mother.

  "Yes," said Johnny.

  "When was it?"

  "When I was in the river," said Johnny. "He pulled me out."

  "Are you glad to see him?"

  "Yes," said Johnny. "What is his name?"

  "Dick," said our hero, who somehow could not help feeling, when calledRichard, that some other boy was meant.

  "Won't you come and help me build a house?" asked little Johnny.

  Dick accepted the invitation with pleasure, feeling more at home withchildren than with older persons.

  "This is sister Grace," said Johnny, with an offhand introduction.

  "I saw you on the boat," said Dick.

  "Yes," said Grace, "I was there. Oh, how frightened I was when Johnnyfell into the water! I don't see how you dared to jump in after him."

  "Oh, I've been in swimming many a time. I don't mind it," said Dick.

  "I s'pose you're used to it, like the fishes," said Johnny. "I'm gladI'm not a fish. I shouldn't like to live in the water."

  "I don't think I should, either," said Dick. "Now, what do you think thefishes do when it rains?"

  "I do not know."

  "They go down to the bottom of the sea to get out of the wet."

  "Isn't it wet down at the bottom of the sea?" asked Johnny, in goodfaith.

  "Of course it is, you little goose," said Grace, with an air of superiorwisdom.

  "Will you make me a house?" said Johnny.

  "What kind of a house do you want?" said Dick, seating himself on thecarpet, and taking up the blocks.

  "Any kind," said Johnny.

  Dick, beginning to feel quite at home with the children, erected animposing-looking house, leaving little spaces for the doors and windows.

  "That's better than the house Grace made," said Johnny, looking at itwith complacency.

  "But it won't last very long," said Dick. "You'd better sell it beforeit tumbles over."

  "Do you own any houses?" asked Johnny.

  "Not many," said Dick, smiling.

  "My father owns this house," said Johnny, positively. "He paid fiftydollars for it."

  "I didn't think houses were so cheap," said Dick. "I'd like to buy oneat that price."

  "You're a little goose, Johnny," said Grace. "He gave as much as fivehundred dollars."

  "Grace doesn't know much more about the price of real estate thanJohnny," said Mr. Rockwell.

  "Didn't the house cost as much as five hundred dollars?" asked Grace.

  "As much as that certainly, my dear."

  Just then, by an unguarded movement of Johnny's foot, the edifice ofblocks reared by Dick became a confused ruin.

  "I've got tired of building houses," he announced, "Won't you tell me astory, Dick?"

  "I don't think I know any," said our hero.

  "Here is a book of pictures," said his mother, bringing one from thetable. "Perhaps your new friend will show them to you."

  Dick took the book, and felt very glad that he had learned to read.Otherwise he might have been considerably embarrassed.

  The children asked a great many questions of Dick about the pictures,some of which he could not answer. Johnny, on being shown the picture ofa Turkish mosque, asked if that was the place where the turkeys went tochurch.

  "If there was any place for a goose to go to church, you'd go there,"said his sister.

  "I aint a goose any more than you are," said Johnny, indignantly; "am I,Dick?"

  Just then the servant came in to carry the children to bed, and,considerably against their wishes, they were obliged to withdraw.

  "Come again, Dick," said Johnny.

  "Thank you," said Dick. "Good-night."

  "Good-night," said the two children, and the door closed upon them.

  "I think I'll be going," said Dick, who did not feel quite so much atease, now that his young friends had left him.

  "Wait a few minutes," said Mrs. Rockwell.

  She rang the bell, and a servant brought up some cake and apples, ofwhich Dick was invited to partake.

  I need not detail the conversation; but Mrs. Rockwell, with the tact ofa genuine lady, managed to draw out Dick, and put h
im quite at his ease.

  "How old are you, Richard?" she asked.

  "Fifteen," said Dick; "goin' on sixteen."

  "You are getting to be quite a young man,--old enough to wear a watch.Have you one?"

  "No," said Dick, not suspecting the motive that led to her question.

  "Will you allow me the pleasure of supplying the deficiency?" said Mrs.Rockwell.

  As she spoke, she drew from a box at her side a very neat gold watch andchain, and placed it in Dick's hands.

  Our hero was so astonished at first that he could scarcely believe thatthis valuable present was intended for him.

  "Is it for me?" he asked, hesitatingly.

  "Yes," said Mrs. Rockwell, smiling pleasantly. "I hope you will find itof service."

  "It is too much," said Dick. "I do not deserve it."

  "You must let me be the judge of that," said the lady, kindly. "Here isthe key; I nearly forgot to give it to you. I suppose you know how towind it up?"

  "Yes," said Dick. "I understand that. I am _very_ much obliged to you."

  "You are very welcome. Whenever you look at it, let it remind you thatunder all circumstances you can rely upon the friendship of Johnny'sparents."

  Dick slipped the watch into a watch-pocket in his vest, for which he hadnever before had any use, and attached the chain to his button-hole.

  "How beautiful it is!" he said, in tones of admiration.

  "It was bought at Ball & Black's," said Mrs. Rockwell. "If it should notkeep good time, or anything should happen to it, I advise you to take itthere, and they will repair it for you."

  Dick perceived by his new watch that it was nearly ten o'clock, and roseto go. He was kindly invited to renew his visit, and promised to do so.Just as he was leaving the room, Mr. Rockwell handed a sealed envelopeto Dick, saying, "Put this in your pocket, Richard. It will be timeenough to open it when you get home."

  Dick sped home much more quickly than he had come. He thought withdelight of Fosdick's surprise when he should see the new watch andchain, and also with pardonable exultation of the sensation he wouldproduce at the table when he carelessly drew out his watch to see whattime it was.

  When he reached his boarding-house, and went upstairs, he found Fosdicksitting up for him.

  "Well, Dick, what sort of a time did you have?" he asked.

  "Tip-top," said Dick.

  "Who did you see?"

  "Mr. and Mrs. Rockwell, and two children,--Johnny, the one I fished outof the water, and his sister, Grace. Johnny's a jolly little chap, andhis sister is a nice girl."

  "Halloa, what's that?" asked Fosdick, suddenly espying the watch-chain.

  "What do you think of my new watch?" asked Dick, drawing it out.

  "Do you mean to say it is yours?"

  "Yes. Mrs. Rockwell gave it to me."

  "It's a regular beauty. Mr. Henderson has got one that he paid a hundreddollars for; but it isn't as nice as yours."

  "Seems to me I have no end of luck," said Dick. "I'll be a young man offortun' before I know it."

  "People will think you are now, when they see you wear such a watch asthat."

  "Johnny Nolan'd think I stole it, if he should see it," said Dick. "Poorchap! I wish some luck would come to him. I saw him to-day lookin' justas I used to before I met Frank."

  "There's some difference between then and now, Dick."

  "Yes. I was a rough chap in them days."

  "In those days, Dick."

  "In those days, and I don't know but I am now, but I'm trying toimprove. With you to help me, I think I'll grow up respectable."

  "I hope we both will, Dick. But who's that letter from that you've justtaken out of your pocket?"

  "Oh, I forgot. Mr. Rockwell handed it to me just before I came away, andtold me not to open it till I got home. P'r'aps it says that he hasn'tno more occasion for my valuable services."

  "That isn't very likely, considering the present you have brought home.But open it; I am curious to see what is in it."

  The envelope was cut open, and a piece of paper dropped out.

  Fosdick picked it up, and to his inexpressible amazement ascertainedthat it was a check on the Park Bank for the sum of one thousand dollarsmade payable to Richard Hunter, or order.

  "A thousand dollars!" repeated Dick, overwhelmed with astonishment;"you're only foolin' me. P'r'aps it's ten dollars."

  "No, it's a thousand dollars. Read it yourself if you don't believe it."

  "I wish you'd pinch me, Fosdick," said Dick, seriously.

  "Certainly, if you wish it."

  "That's enough," said Dick, hastily. "I only wanted to make sure Iwasn't dreamin'. I can't believe I'm worth a thousand dollars."

  "You're a lucky fellow, Dick," said Fosdick, "and you deserve your luck.I'm heartily glad of it."

  "About the best luck I ever had was in meeting you," said Dick,affectionately. "I'm goin' to give you half the money."

  "No, you're not, Dick. Thank you all the same," said Fosdick, decidedly."It was meant for you, and you must keep it. I'll get along well enough.If I don't, I know you'll help me."

  "But I wish you'd take half the money."

  "No, Dick, it wouldn't be right. But your new watch says it's gettinglate, and we had better go to bed."

  It was some time before Dick fell asleep. His good luck had so excitedhim that he found it difficult to calm down sufficiently to sink into aquiet slumber.