paul the peddler-第6部分

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wanted。〃



〃I　know　that；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　I'm　going　to　follow　you　till　I

find　my　basket。〃



〃What　do　I　know　of　your　basket？〃



〃That's　what　I　want　to　find　out。〃



Mike　saw；　by　Paul's　resolute　tone；　that　he　meant　what　he　said。　

Desirous　of　shaking　him　of；　he　started　on　a　run。







CHAPTER　VI



PAUL　AS　AN　ARTIST



Paul　was　not　slow　in　following　Mike。　　He　was　a　good　runner；　and

would　have　had　no　difficulty　in　keeping　up　with　his　enemy　if　the

streets　had　been　empty。　　But　to　thread　his　way　in　and　out　among

the　numerous　foot　passengers　that　thronged　the　sidewalks　was　not

so　easy。　　He　kept　up　pretty　well；　however；　until；　in　turning　a

street　corner；　he　ran　at　full　speed　into　a　very　stout　gentleman；

whose　scanty　wind　was　quite　knocked　out　of　him　by　the　collision。　

He　glared　in　anger　at　Paul；　but　could　not　at　first　obtain　breath

enough　to　speak。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Paul；　who；　in　spite　of　his　desire

to　overtake　Mike；　felt　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　stop　and　offer　an

apology。



〃What　do　you　mean；　sir；〃　exploded　the　fat　man；　at　last；　〃by

tearing　through　the　streets　like　a　locomotive？　　You've　nearly

killed　me。〃



〃I　am　very　sorry；　sir。〃



〃You　ought　to　be。　　Don't　you　know　better　than　to　run　at　such

speed？　　You　ought　to　be　indicted　as　a　public　nuisance。



〃I　was　trying　to　catch　a　thief；〃　said　Paul。



〃Trying　to　catch　a　thief？　　How's　that？〃　asked　the　stout

gentleman；　his　indignation　giving　way　to　curiosity。



〃I　was　selling　packages　in　front　of　the　post　office　when　he　and

another　boy　came　up　and　stole　my　basket。〃



〃Indeed！　　What　were　you　selling？〃



〃Prize　packages；　sir。〃



〃What　was　in　them？〃



〃Candy。〃



〃Could　you　make　much　that　way？〃



〃About　a　dollar　a　day。〃



〃I'd　rather　have　given　you　a　dollar　than　had　you　run　against　me

with　such　violence。　　I　feel　it　yet。〃



〃Indeed；　sir；　I'm　very　sorry。〃



〃Well；　I'll　forgive　you；　under　the　circumstances。　　What's　your

name？〃



〃Paul　Hoffman。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　you'll　get　back　your　basket。　　Some　time；　if　you　see

me　in　the　street；　come　up　and　let　me　know。　　Would　you　know　me

again？〃



〃I　think　I　should；　sir。〃



〃Well；　good…morning。　　I　hope　you'll　catch　the　thief。〃



〃I　thank　you；　sir。〃



They　parted　company；　but　Paul　did　not　continue　the　pursuit。　　The

conversation　in　which　he　had　taken　part　had　lasted　so　long　that

Mike　had　had　plenty　of　time　to　find　a　refuge；　and　there　would　be

no　use　in　following　him。



So　Paul　went　home。



〃You　are　home　early；　Paul；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃Surely　you　haven't

sold　out　by　this　time。〃



〃No；　but　all　my　packages　are　gone。〃



〃How　is　that？〃



〃They　were　stolen。〃



〃Tell　me　about　it。〃



So　Paul　told　the　story。



〃That　Mike　was　awful　mean；〃　said　Jimmy；　indignantly。　　〃I'd　like

to　hit　him。〃



〃I　don't　think　you　would　hurt　him　much；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul；　amused

at　his　little　brother's　vehemence。



〃Then　I　wish　I　was　a　big；　strong　boy；〃　said　Jimmy。



〃I　hope　you　will　be；　some　time。〃



〃How　much　was　your　loss；　Paul？〃　asked　his　mother。



〃There　were　nearly　forty　packages。　　They　cost　me　about　a　dollar；

but　if　I　had　sold　them　all　they　would　have　brought　me　in　twice　as

much。　　I　had　only　sold　ten　packages。〃



〃Shall　you　make　some　more？〃



〃No；　I　think　not；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I've　got　tired　of　the　business。　

It's　getting　poorer　every　day。　　I'll　go　out　after　dinner；　and　see

if　I　can't　find　something　else　to　do。〃



〃You　ain't　going　out　now；　Paul？〃　said　Jimmy。



〃No；　I'll　stop　and　see　you　draw　a　little　while。〃



〃That's　bully。　　I'm　going　to　try　these　oxen。〃



〃That's　a　hard　picture。　　I　don't　think　you　can　draw　it；　Jimmy。〃



〃Yes；　I　can；〃　said　the　little　boy；　confidently。　　〃Just　see　if　I

don't。〃



〃Jimmy　has　improved　a　good　deal；〃　said　his　mother。



〃You'll　be　a　great　artist　one　of　these　days；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul。



〃I'm　going　to　try；　Paul；〃　said　the　little　boy。　　〃I　like　it　so

much。〃



Little　Jimmy　had　indeed　made　surprising　progress　in　drawing。　

With　no　instruction　whatever；　he　had　succeeded　in　a　very　close

and　accurate　imitation　of　the　sketches　in　the　drawing　books　Paul

had　purchased　for　him。　　It　was　a　great　delight　to　the　little　boy

to　draw；　and　hour　after　hour；　as　his　mother　sat　at　her　work；　he

sat　up　to　the　table；　and　worked　at　his　drawing；　scarcely　speaking

a　word　unless　spoken　to；　so　absorbed　was　he　in　his　fascinating

employment。



Paul　watched　him　attentively。



〃You'll　make　a　bully　artist；　Jimmy；〃　he　said；　at　length；　really

surprised　at　his　little　brother's　proficiency。　　〃If　you　keep　on　a

little　longer；　you'll　beat　me。〃



〃I　wish　you'd　draw　something；　Paul；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃I　never　saw

any　of　your　drawings。〃



〃I　am　afraid；　if　you　saw　mine；　it　would　discourage　you；〃　said

Paul。　　〃You　know；　I'm　older　and　ought　to　draw　better。〃



His　face　was　serious；　but　there　was　a　merry　twinkle　of　fun　in　his

eyes。



〃Of　course；　I　know　you　draw　better；〃　said　Jimmy；　seriously。



〃What　shall　I　draw？〃　asked　Paul。



〃Try　this　horse；　Paul。〃



〃All　right！〃　　said　Paul。　　〃But　you　must　go　away；　I　don't　want　you

to　see　it　till　it　is　done。〃



Jimmy　left　the　table；　and　Paul　commenced　his　attempt。　　Now；

though　Paul　is　the　hero　of　my　story；　I　am　bound　to　confess　that

he　had　not　the　slightest　talent　for　drawing；　though　Jimmy　did　not

know　it。　　It　was　only　to　afford　his　little　brother　amusement　that

he　now　undertook　the　task。



Paul　worked　away　for　about　five　minutes。



〃It's　done；〃　he　said。



〃So　quick？〃　exclaimed　Jimmy；　in　surprise。　　〃How　fast　you　work！〃



He　drew　near　and　inspected　Paul's　drawing。　　He　had　no　sooner

inspected　it　than　he　burst　into　a　fit　of　laughter。　　Paul's

drawing　was　a　very　rough　one；　and　such　a　horse　as　he　had　drawn

will　never　probably　be　seen　until　the　race　has　greatly

degenerated。



〃What's　the　matter；　Jimmy？〃　asked　Paul。　　〃Don't　you　like　it？〃



〃It's　awful；　Paul；〃　said　the　little　boy；　almost　choking　with

mirth。



〃I　see　how　it　is；〃　said　Paul；　with　feigned　resentment。　　You're

jealous　of　me　because　you　can't　draw　as　well。〃



〃Oh；　Paul；　you'll　kill　me！〃　　and　Jimmy　again　burst　into　a　fit　of

merriment。　　〃Can't　you　really　draw　any　better？〃



〃No；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul；　joining　in　the　laugh。　　〃I　can't　draw　any

better　than　an　old　cow。　　You've　got　all　the　talent　in　the　family

in　that　line。〃



〃But　you're　smart　in　other　ways；　Paul；〃　said　Jimmy；　who　had　a

great　admiration　of　Paul；　notwithstanding　the　discovery　of　his

artistic　inferiority。



〃I'm　glad　there's　one　that　thinks　so；　Jimmy；〃　said　Paul。　　〃I'll

refer　to　you　when　I　want　a　recommendation。〃



Jimmy　resumed　his　drawing；　and　was　proud　of　the　praises　which

Paul　freely　bestowed　upon　him。



〃I'll　get　you　a　harder　drawing　book　when　you've　got　through　with

these；〃　said　Paul；　〃that　is；　if　I　don't　get　reduced　to　poverty　by

having　my　stock　in　trade　stolen　again。〃



After　a　while　came　dinner。　　This　meal　in　Mrs。　Hoffman's　household

usually　came　at　twelve　o'clock。　　It　was　a　plain；　frugal　meal

always；　but　on　Sunday　they　usually　managed　to　have　something　a

little　better；　as　they　had　been　accustomed　to　do　when　Mr。　Hoffman

was　alive。



Paul　was　soon　through。



He　took　his　hat　from　the　bureau；　and　prepared　to　go　out。



〃I'm　going　out　to　try　my　luck；　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　see　if　I

can't　get　into　something　I　like　a　little　better　than　the

prize…package　business。〃



〃I　hope　you'll　succeed；　Paul。〃



〃Better　than　I　did　in　drawing　horses；　eh；　Jimmy？〃



〃Yes；　I　hope　so；　Paul；〃　said　the　little　boy。



〃Don't　you　show　that　horse　to　visitors　and　pretend　it's　yours；

Jimmy。〃



〃No　danger；　Paul。〃



Paul　went　downstairs　and　into　the　street。　　He　had　no　definite

plan　in　his　head；　but　was　ready　for　anything　that　might　turn　up。　

He　did　not　feel　anxious；　for　he　knew　there　were　plenty　of　ways　in

which　he　could　earn　something。　　He　had　never　tried　blacking

boots；　but　still　he　could　do　it　in　case　of　emergency。　　He　had

sold　papers；　and　succeeded　fairly　in　that　line；　and　knew　he　could

again。　　He　had　pitted　himself　against　other　boys；　and　the　result

had　been　to　give　him　a　certain　confidence　in　his　own　powers　and

business　abilities。　　When　he　had　first　gone　into　the　street　to

try　his　chances　there；　it　had　been　with　a　degree　of　diffidence。　

But　knocking　about　the　streets　soon　gives　a　boy　confidence；

sometimes　too　much　of　it；　and　Paul　had　learned　to　rely　upon

himself；　but　the　influence　of　a　good；　though　humble　home；　and　a

judicious　mother；　had　kept　him　aloof　from　the　bad　habits　into

which　many　street　boys　are　led。



So　Paul；　though　his　stock　in　trade　had　been　stolen；　and　he　was

obliged　to　seek　a　new　kind　of　business；　was　by　no　means

disheartened。　　He　walked　a　little　way　downtown；　and　then；

crossing　the　City　Hall　Park；　found　himself　on　Broadway。



A　little　below　the　Astor　House　he　came　to　the　stand　of　a

sidewalk…merchant；　who　dealt　in　neckties。　　Upon　an　upright

framework　hung　a　great　variety　of　ties　of　different　colors；　most

of　which　were　sold　at　the　uniform　price　of　twenty…five　cents

each。



Paul　was　acquainted　with　the　proprietor　of　the　stand；　and；　having

nothing　else　to　do；　determined　to　stop　and　speak　to　him。







CHAPTER　VII



A　NEW　BUSINESS



The　proprietor　of　the　necktie　stand　was　a　slender；

dark…complexioned　young　man　of　about　twenty…five；　or　thereabouts。



His　name　was　George　Barry。　　Paul　had　known　him　for　over　a　year；

and　whenever　he　passed　his　stand　was　accustomed　to　stop　and　speak

with　him。



〃Well；　George；　how's　business？〃　asked　Paul。



〃Fair；〃　said　Barry。　　〃That　isn't　what's　the　matter。〃



〃What　is　it；　then？〃



〃I'm　sick。　　I　ought　not　to　be　out　here　to…day。〃



〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃



〃I've　caught　a　bad　cold；　and　feel　hot　and　feverish。　　I　ought　to

be　at　home　and　abed。〃



〃Why　don't　you　go？〃



〃I　can't