Just opposite the monument is a small, one-story structure, where viewsof the shaft may be purchased and tickets obtained.
"There is a small admission fee," said Herbert's companion.
"How much is it?" asked our hero.
"Twenty cents."
As Herbert thrust his hand into his pocket for the necessary money, hiscompanion said:
"You had better let me pay for both tickets."
Though he said this, he didn't make any motion to do so.
"No, I will pay for both," said Herbert.
"But I really cannot permit you to pay for mine."
And still the speaker made no movement to purchase his ticket.
Herbert settled the matter by laying half a dollar on the desk,and asking for two tickets. He began to see that, in spite of hisdisclaimer, his guide intended him to do so. On the whole, this didn'tplease him. He would rather have had his offer frankly accepted.
"I didn't mean to have you pay," said the young man, as they passedthrough the door admitting them to an inner apartment, from which therewas an exit into a small, inclosed yard, through which they were toreach the entrance to a spiral staircase by which the ascent was made.
Herbert did not answer, for he understood that his guide was not tellingthe truth, and he did not like falsehood or deceit.
They entered the monument and commenced the ascent.
"We have a tiresome ascent before us," said the other.
"How many steps are there?" asked Herbert.
"About three hundred," was the reply.
At different points in the ascent they came to landings where they couldcatch glimpses of the outward world through long, narrow, perpendicularslits in the sides of the monument.
At last they reached the top.
Herbert's guide looked about him sharply, and seemed disappointed tofind a lady and gentleman and child also enjoying the view.
Herbert had never been so high before. Indeed, he had never been in anyhigh building, and he looked about him with a novel sense of enjoyment.
"What a fine view there is here!" he said.
"True," assented his companion. "Let me point out to you the differenttowns visible to the naked eye."
"I wish you would," said the boy.
So his guide pointed out Cambridge, Chelsea, Malden, the Charles andMystic Rivers, gleaming in the sunshine, the glittering dome of theBoston State House and other conspicuous objects. Herbert felt that itwas worth something to have a companion who could do him this service,and he felt the extra twenty cents he had paid for his companion'sticket was a judicious investment.
He noticed with some surprise that his companion seemed annoyed by thepresence of the other party already referred to. He scowled and shruggedhis shoulders when he looked at them, and in a low voice, inaudible tothose of whom he spoke, he said to Herbert: "Are they going to stay hereall day?"
"What does it matter to me if they do?" returned Herbert, in surprise.
Indeed, to him they seemed very pleasant people, and he was especiallyattracted by the sweet face of the little girl. He wished he had beenfortunate enough to possess such a sister.
At last, however, they finished their sightseeing, and prepared todescend. Herbert's companion waited till the sound of their descendingsteps died away, and then, turning to Herbert, said in a quick, sterntone: "Now give me the money you have in your pocket."
"What do you mean?" he said.
Herbert recoiled, and stared at the speaker in undisguised astonishment.
"I mean just what I say," returned the other. "You have one hundred andfifty dollars in your pocket. You need not deny it, for I saw you drawit from the bank and put it away."
"Are you a thief, then?" demanded Herbert.
"No matter what I am, I must have that money," said the stranger. "Icame over with you exclusively to get it, and I mean business."
He made a step towards Herbert, but the boy faced him unflinchingly, andanswered resolutely: "I mean business, too. The money is not mine, and Ishall not give it up."
"Take care!" said the other, menacingly, "we are alone here. You are aboy and I am a man."
"I know that; but you will have to fight to get the money," saidHerbert, without quailing.
He looked to the staircase, but his treacherous guide stood between himand it, and he was practically a prisoner at the top of the monument.
"Don't be a fool!" said the stranger. "You may as well give up the moneyto me first as last."
"I don't propose to give it up to you at all," said Herbert. "Myemployer trusted me with it, and I mean to be true to my trust."
"You can tell him that it was taken from you--that you could not helpyourself. Now hand it over!"
"Never!" exclaimed Herbert, resolutely.
"We'll see about that," said his companion, seizing the boy andgrappling with him.
Herbert was a strong boy for his age, and he accepted the challenge.Though his antagonist was a man, he found that the boy was powerful, andnot to be mastered as easily as he anticipated.
"Confound you!" he muttered, "I wish I had a knife!"
Though Herbert made a vigorous resistance, his opponent was his superiorin strength, and would ultimately have got the better of him. He hadthrown Herbert down, and was trying to thrust his hand into his coatpocket, when a step was heard, and a tall man of Western appearancestepped on the scene.
"Hello!" he said, surveying the two combatants in surprise. "What's allthis? Let that boy alone, you skunk, you!"
As he spoke, he seized the man by the collar and jerked him to his feet.
"What does all this mean?" he asked, turning from one to the other.
"This boy has robbed me of one hundred and fifty dollars," said the man,glibly. "I fell in with him in the Boston cars, and he relieved me of aroll of bills which I had drawn from a bank in Boston."
"What have you got to say to this?" asked the Western man, turning toHerbert, who was now on his feet.
"Only this," answered Herbert, "that it is a lie. It was I who drewthe money from the Merchants' Bank in Boston. This man saw me cash thecheck, followed me, and offered to come here with me, when I asked himfor directions."
"That's a likely story!" sneered the young man. "My friend here is toosharp to believe it."
"Don't call me your friend!" said the Western man, bluntly. "I'm morethan half convinced you're a scamp."
"I don't propose to stay here and be insulted. Let the boy give me mymoney, and I won't have him arrested."
"Don't be in too much of a hurry, young man! I want to see about thisthing. What bank did you draw the money from?"
"From the Merchants' Bank--the boy has got things reversed. He saw medraw it, inveigled himself into my confidence, and picked my pocket."
"Look here--stop right there! Your story doesn't hang together!" saidthe tall Westerner, holding up his finger. "You said you met this boy ina horse car."
"We came over together in a Charlestown horse car," said the rogue,abashed.
"You've given yourself away. Now make yourself scarce! Scoot!"
The rascal looked in the face of the tall, resolute man from theWest, and thought it prudent to obey. He started to descend, but awell-planted kick accelerated his progress, and he fell down severalsteps, bruising his knees.
"Thank you, sir!" said Herbert, gratefully. "It was lucky you came upjust as you did. The rascal had got his hand on the money."
"He is a miserable scamp!" answered Herbert's new friend. "If there'dbeen a police-man handy, I'd have given him in charge. I've come clearfrom Wisconsin to see where Warren fell, but I didn't expect to comeacross such a critter as that on Bunker Hill."
Herbert pointed out to his new friend the objects in view, repeatingthe information he had so recently acquired. Then, feeling that he couldspare no more time, he descended the stairs and jumped on board a horsecar bound for Boston.
CHAPTER XVII. AN ACCEPTABLE PRESENT.
Do and Dare — a Brave Boy's Fight for Fortune Page 16
