Bound to Rise 17

Bound to Rise 17

"I wonder the robber didn't carry off the horse," thought Harry. "I

suppose he had his reasons. It isn't likely he left him out of his

regard for me."

 

Two hours passed, and Harry still found himself a prisoner. His

constrained position became still more uncomfortable. He longed for the

power of jumping up and stretching his legs, now numb and chilled, but

the cord was strong, and defied his efforts. No person had passed, not

had he heard any sound as he lay there, except the occasional whinny of

the horse which was tied as well as himself, and did not appear to enjoy

his confinement any better.

 

It was at this moment that Harry's heart leaped with sudden hope, as he

heard in the distance the sound of a whistle. It might be a boy, or it

might be a man; but, as he listened intently, he perceived that it was

coming nearer.

 

"I hope I can make him hear," thought Harry, earnestly.

 

It was a boy of about his own age, who was advancing along the road

from which he had turned into the lane. The boy was not alone, as it

appeared, for a large dog ran before him. The dog first noticed the

horse and buggy, and next our hero, lying on the ground, and,

concluding that something was wrong, began to bark violently, circling

uncomfortably near Harry, against whom he seemed to cherish hostile

designs.

 

"What's the matter, Caesar?" shouted his young master.

 

"Good dog!" said Harry, soothingly, in momentary fear that the brute

would bite him.

 

But Caesar was not to be cajoled by flattery. "Bow, wow, wow!" he

answered, opening his large mouth, and displaying a formidable set of

teeth.

 

"Good dog! I'd like to choke him!" added Harry, in an undertone to

himself.

 

There was another volley of barks, which seemed likely to be followed by

an attack. Just at this moment, however, luckily for our hero, the dog's

master came up.

 

"Why, Caesar," he called, "what is the matter with you?"

 

"Please take your dog away," said Harry. "I am afraid he will bite me."

 

"Who are you?" inquired the boy, in surprise.

 

"Come and untie these cords, and I will tell you."

 

"What! Are you tied?"

 

"Yes, hand and foot."

 

"Who did it?" asked the boy, in increasing surprise.

 

"I don't know his name, but he robbed me of my pocketbook before doing

it."

 

"What, a robber around here!" exclaimed the boy, incredulous.

 

"Yes; I met him first over in Carmansville. Thank you; now my feet if

you please. It seems good to be free again;" and Harry swung his arms,

and jumped up and down to bring back the sense of warmth to his chilled

limbs.

 

"Is this horse yours?" asked the boy.

 

"Yes; I took up the man and he promised to show me the road to

Pentland."

 

"This isn't the road to Pentland."

 

"I suppose not. He took me wrong on purpose."

 

"How much money did he take from you?"

 

"Forty dollars."

 

"That's a good deal," said the country boy. "Was it yours?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I never had so much money in my life."

 

"It has taken me almost six months to earn it. But I had more money with

me, only he didn't know it."

 

"How much?"

 

"A hundred and fifty dollars."

 

"Was it yours?" asked the boy, surprised.

 

"No; it belonged to my employer."

 

"Who is he?"

 

"Professor Henderson, the ventriloquist."

 

"Where is he stopping?"

 

"Over at Pentland. He is sick at the hotel there."

 

"It's lucky for you I was out to-night. I ain't often out so late but I

went to see a friend of mine, and stayed later than I meant to."

 

"Do you live near here?"

 

"I live about a quarter of a mile up this lane."

 

"Do you know what time it is?"

 

"I don't know, but I think it is past ten."

 

"I wonder whether I can get anybody to go with me to Pentland. I can't

find my way in the dark."

 

"I will go with you to-morrow morning."

 

"But what shall I do to-night?"

 

"I'll tell you. Come home with me. The folks will take you in, and the

horse can be put up in the barn."

 

Harry hesitated

 

"I suppose they will feel anxious about me over at Pentland. They won't

know what has become of me."

 

"You can start early in the morning--as early as you like."

 

"Perhaps it will be better," said Harry, after a pause.

 

"It won't trouble your family too much, will it?"

 

"Not a bit," answered the boy, heartily. "Very likely they won't know

till morning," he added, laughing. "They go to bed early, and I told

them they needn't wait up for me."

 

"I am very much obliged to you," said Harry. "I will accept your kind

invitation. As I've got a horse, we may as well ride. I'll untie him,

and you jump into the buggy."

 

"All right," said the boy, well pleased.

 

"You may drive, for you know the way better than I."

 

"Where did this horse come from?"

 

"From the stable in Pentland."

 

"Perhaps they will think you have run away with it."

 

"I hope not."

 

"What is your name?"

 

"Harry Walton. What is yours?"

 

"Jefferson Selden. The boys usually call me Jeff."

 

"Is that your dog?"

 

"Yes. He's a fine fellow."

 

"I didn't think so when he was threatening to bite me," said Harry

laughing.

 

"I used to be afraid of dogs," said Jeff; "but I got cured of it after

a while. When I go out at night, I generally take Caesar with me. If you

had had him, you would have been a match for the robber."

 

"He had a pistol."

 

"Caesar would have had him down before he could use it."

 

"I wish he had been with me, then."

 

They had, by this time, come in sight of Jeff's house. It was a square

farmhouse, with a barn in the rear.

 

"We'll go right out to the barn," said Jeff, "and put up the horse. Then

we'll come back to the house and go to bed."

 

There was a little difficulty in unharnessing the horse, on account of

the absence of light; but at last, by a combined effort, it was done,

and the buggy was drawn into the barn and the doors shut.

 

"There, all will be safe till to-morrow morning," said Jeff. "Now we'll

go into the house."

 

He entered by the back shed door, and Harry followed him. They went into

the broad, low kitchen, with its ample fireplace, in which a few embers

were glowing. By these Jeff lighted a candle, and asked Harry if he

would have anything to eat.

 

"No, thank you," said Harry. "I ate a hearty supper at Carmansville."

 

"Then we'll go upstairs to bed. I sleep in a small room over the shed.

You won't mind sleeping with me?"

 

"I should like your company," said Harry, who was attracted to his

good-natured companion.

 

"Then come up. I guess we'll find the bed wide enough."

 

He led the way up a narrow staircase, into a room low studded, and very

plainly but comfortably furnished.

 

"The folks will be surprised to see you here in the morning," said Jeff.

 

"I may be gone before they are up."

 

"I guess not. Father'll be up by five o'clock, and I think that'll be as

early as you'll want to be stirring."

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE REWARD OF FIDELITY

 

 

"Where am I?" asked Harry, the next morning, as he sat up in bed and

stared around him.

 

"Don't you remember?" asked Jeff, smiling.

 

Jeff was standing by the bedside, already dressed.

 

"Yes; I remember now," said Harry, slowly. "What time is it?"

 

"Seven o'clock."

 

"Seven o'clock! I meant to be dressed at six."

 

"That is the time I got up," said Jeff.

 

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

 

"You looked so comfortable that I thought it was a pity to wake you. You

must have felt tired."

 

"I think it was the cold that made me sleepy. I got chilled through

when I lay on the ground there, tied hand and foot. But I must get up in

hurry now."

 

He jumped out of bed, and hurried on his clothes.

 

"Now," said Jeff, "come down into the kitchen, and mother'll give you

some breakfast."

 

"I am giving you a great deal of trouble, I am afraid," said Harry.

 

"No, you're not. It's no trouble at all. The rest of the family have

eaten breakfast, but I waited for you. I've been up an hour, and feel as

hungry as a wolf. So come down, and we'll see who'll eat the most."

 

"I can do my part," said Harry. "I've got a good appetite, though I've

been up a food deal less than an hour."

 

"Take your overcoat alone," said Jeff; "or will you come up and get

after breakfast?"

 

"I'll take it down with me. It isn't my coat, you know. Mine was a much

better one. I wish I had it back."

 

Jeff, meanwhile, had taken up the coat.

 

"There's something in the pocket," he said. "What is it?"

 

"I didn't put anything in."

 

Harry thrust his hand into the side pocket for the first time, and drew

out a shabby leather wallet.

 

"Perhaps there's money in it," Jeff suggested.

 

The same thought had occurred to Harry. He hastily opened it, and his

eyes opened wide with astonishment as he drew out a thick roll of bills.

 

"By hokey!" said Jeff, "you're in luck. The robber took your pocketbook,

and left his own. Maybe there's as much as you lost. Count it."

 

This Harry eagerly proceeded to do.

 

"Three--eight--eleven--thirteen--twenty," he repeated, aloud. He

continued his count, which resulted in showing that the wallet contained

ninety-seven dollars.

 

"Ninety-seven dollars!" exclaimed Jeff. "How much did you lose?"

 

"Forty dollars."

 

"Then you've made just fifty-seven dollars. Bully for you!"

 

"But I've exchanged a good overcoat for a poor one."

 

"There can't be more than seventeen dollars difference."

 

"Not so much."

 

"Then you're forty dollars better off, at any rate."

 

"But I don't know as I can claim this money," said Harry, doubtfully.

"It isn't mine."

 

"He won't be likely to call for it. When he does, and returns you the

money and the coat, it will be time to think about it."

 

"I will ask Professor Henderson about that. At any rate I've got my

money back, that's one good thing."

 

This timely discovery made Harry decidedly cheerful, and, if anything,

sharpened his appetite for breakfast.

 

Now Mr. Selden had gone out to oversee some farm work; but Mrs. Selden

received out hero very kindly, and made him feel that he was heartily

welcome to that she could offer. She had many questions to ask about the

bold robber who had waylaid him, and expressed the hope that he had left

the neighborhood.

 

"Perhaps he'll come back for his wallet, Harry," said Jeff. "You'd

better look out for him."

 

"I shall take care how I carry much money about with me, after this,"

said Harry. "That was what got me into a scrape yesterday."

 

"He wouldn't make out much if he tried to rob me," said Jeff. "I haven't

got money enough about me to pay the board of a full-grown fly for

twenty-four hours."

 

"You don't look as if your poverty troubled you much," said his mother.

 

"I don't have any board bills to pay," said Jeff, "so I can get along."

 

"I should think you would feel nervous about riding to Pentland

alone," said Mrs. Selden, "for fear of meeting the man who robbed you

yesterday."

 

"I do dread it a little," said Harry, "having so much money about me.

Besides this ninety-seven dollars, I've got a hundred and fifty dollars

belonging to my employer."

 

"Suppose I go with you to protect you," said Jeff.

 

"I wish you would."

 

"I don't think Jefferson would make a very efficient protector," said

his mother.

 

"You don't know how brave I am, mother," said Jeff, in the tone of an

injured hero.

 

"No, I don't," said his mother, smiling. "I believe there was a time

when you were not very heroic in the company of dogs."

 

"That's long ago, mother. I've got over it now."

 

"If you would like to ride over with your friend, you may do so. But how

will you get back?"

 

"Major Pinkham will be up there this afternoon. I can wait, and ride

home with him."

 

"Very well; I have no objection."

 

The two boys rode off together. Harry was glad to have a companion who

knew the road well, for he did not care to be lost again till he had

delivered up the money which he had in charge. There was no opportunity

to test Jeff's courage, for the highwayman did not make his appearance.

Indeed, it was not till the next morning that he discovered the serious

blunder he had made in leaving his own wallet behind, and, though he was

angry and disgusted, prudential considerations prevented his going

back. He was forced to the unpleasant conviction that he had overreached

himself, and that his intended victim had come out best in the

"exchange" which "was no robbery." I may as well add here that, though

he deserved to be caught, he was not, and Harry has never, to this day,

set eyes either upon him or upon the coat.

 

When Harry arrived at Pentland, he found that no little anxiety had been

felt about him.

 

"Has Harry come yet?" asked the sick man, at ten o'clock the evening

previous.

 

"No, he hasn't," answered the nurse.

 

"It's strange what keeps him."

 

"Did he have any money of yours with him?"

 

"Yes, I believe he had."

 

"Oh!" ejaculated Mrs. Chase, significantly.

 

"What do you mean by that?"

 "I didn't say anything, did I?"