Wait and Hope: or, A Plucky Boy's Luck

"There is a train at half-past ten."

"That will answer very well. Now, if you will come down-town with me, I will engage passage for you."

Ben accompanied Mr. Manning to the office of the steamers, and passage tickets were obtained and paid for.

At four o'clock, Ben and his young charge were seated in the showy cabin of the immense Sound steamer which plies between New York and Fall River.

As the two were chatting, an old lady, evidently from the country, looked attentively at them. She was old and wrinkled, and, from time to time, took a pinch of snuff from a large snuff-box which she took from the pocket of her dress.

"What is your name, little gal?" she inquired at last.

"Emma," answered the child,

"Come and kiss me," said the old lady.

Emma surveyed the old lady critically, and answered bluntly, "I don't want to."

"Come and kiss me, and I'll give you the first cent I find on the currant bushes," said the old lady coaxingly.

"I don't want to," answered Emma again.

"Why don't you want to?" asked the old lady, with a wintery smile.

"'Cause you're old and ugly, and put snuff up your nose." answered Emma, who had not yet learned that the truth is not to be spoken at all times.

The old lady gasped with wrath and amazement.

"Well, I never did!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, you did," said Emma, understanding her to say that she never took snuff. "I saw you do it a minute ago."

"You are a bad, wicked little gal!" said the old lady, in high displeasure. "You're spoiled child."

"No, I ain't," said Emma, angry in turn. "Don't you let her call me names," she added, speaking to Ben.

Ben found it difficult not to laugh at the old lady's discomfiture; but he felt called upon to apologize for his young charge.

"I hope you'll excuse her, ma'am," he said. "She's only a little girl."

"How old is she?" asked the old lady abruptly.

"Five years old."

"Then she'd orter know better than to sass her elders," said the old lady snappishly. "She's badly brung up. Is she your sister?"

"No, ma'am."

"Is she any kin to you?"

"No; I'm her guardian."

The old lady adjusted her spectacles, and surveyed Ben from head to foot in a scrutinizing manner.

"Sho!" said she. "Why, you're a child yourself!"

"I'm fifteen," returned Ben, with dignity.

"You don't mean to say you have the care of the little gal?"

"At present I have."

"Ain't nobody else travelin' with you?"

"No, ma'am."

"Where are you goin?"

"To Milltown."

"Where's that?"

"In Massachusetts."

"Is she goin' to board with your folks?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'd like to have charge of her for a month. I'd make a different gal of her."

"I wouldn't go with you," said Emma.

"If you was bad, I'd whip you so you couldn't stand," said the old lady, her eyes snapping. "I've got a granddarter about as big as you; but she wouldn't dare to sass me the way you have."

"I'm glad you ain't my grandmother," said Emma. "I don't want a dirty grandmother like you."

"You mustn't talk so, Emma," said Ben, thinking it time to interfere.

"Talkin' won't do no good. She ought to be whipped," said the old lady, shaking her head and scowling at Emma.

"Don't you want to go on deck and see the steamer start?" asked Ben, as the only means of putting a stop to the irrepressible conflict between the old lady and his charge.

"Oh, yes; let us go up."

So they went on deck, where Emma was not a little interested at the varied sights that met her eye.

"Did you ever see such an ugly old woman, Ben?" asked Emma, when they had reached the top of the stairs.

"Hush, Emma! You must be more particular about what you say. You shouldn't have said anything about her taking snuff."