Try and Trust; Or, Abner Holden's Bound Boy

“Is it possible,” he thought, “that Greenleaf has been mean enough to strip me of my money?”

Herbert did not want to believe this. He disliked to think badly of anyone, and he still hoped it would prove otherwise. It was barely possible that Greenleaf had taken his money by way of playing a practical joke upon him, and he might now be downstairs, waiting to be amused at Herbert’s look of dismay when he discovered that he was penniless. Drowning men will catch at straws, and Herbert, in his trouble, tried to think this was probably the way it had happened.

“Greenleaf is rather a hard case, according to his own account,” he said to himself, “but I can’t believe he would be mean enough to rob me. I will go downstairs and see if I can find him.”

Accordingly, leaving his chamber, he descended the staircase, and made his way to the office.

Herbert went up and spoke to the clerk who chanced to be inside.

“Have you seen my roommate?” he asked.

“What is the number of your room?”

“No. –.”

“I remember now. He has gone.”

“Gone!” echoed Herbert, in dismay.

“Yes; didn’t you know of it?”

“He went away while I was asleep. How long since did he go?”

“He came to the office two hours since, and said he should not require the room any longer.”

“Did he leave any message for me?”

“No.”

“Did he say where he was going?”

“No.”

Such an expression of dismay and perplexity overspread Herbert’s face that the clerk could not help observing it.

“Is anything wrong?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Herbert. “He has robbed me of my pocketbook, containing all my money.”

“Whew!” whistled the clerk. “How much had you?”

“About sixty dollars.”

“You’re unlucky, that’s a fact. Have you nothing left?”

Just then it flashed across Herbert’s mind that when he had paid for his supper he had changed a five-dollar bill, and placed the balance, about four dollars and a half in his vest pocket. He at once felt in that pocket, and found it still there. Greenleaf had contented himself with the pocketbook.

“I have a little left,” he said.

He paid for his room in advance for another day, and went down to breakfast.

CHAPTER XXIII

A BUSINESS CALL

It was certainly a startling discovery for Herbert to make, that out of sixty dollars he had only four left, now that he had paid for another day at the hotel, and this small sum must be further diminished by the expense of a breakfast. Unfortunately, too, he was quite hungry, for his misfortune had not taken away his appetite.

“I will make a good breakfast, at any rate,” said Herbert, philosophically. “Afterwards, I will consider what to do.”

He ordered a substantial breakfast, which, even at the low prices of a dozen years ago, amounted to fifty cents, and did full justice to what was set before him.

After paying at the desk, he went outside.

It was a bright, sunshiny morning, and this, with the comfortable feeling produced by having eaten a good breakfast, gave him courage for the new career upon which he was about to enter.

While considering what he should do first, the thought of the letter given him by Mr. Carroll flashed upon him. He felt for it hastily, and was rejoiced to find that that was safe, at least. Greenleaf had not taken that away, fortunately.

He looked at the direction. It was addressed to

“Messrs. Godfrey & Lynn,

“No. – Pearl St.”

It was not sealed, and was probably meant to be read by Herbert. At any rate, our hero so concluded, and opened the letter, not without curiosity as to what Mr. Carroll had written about him. He knew it must be favorable, of course, but found it even more so than he anticipated.

Here it is:

“MY DEAR MR. GODFREY: This letter will be handed you by a young friend of mine, by name Herbert Mason. My acquaintance with him has been brief, but he has been able, by his coolness and bravery, to do me a most important service, having saved me from being robbed of a large sum of money while acting as my escort from Ohio to Philadelphia. I have talked with him freely about his plans, and find that he will reach New York without friends, and with a very small sum of money, hoping before it is gone to secure a place in some counting-room, where he can make an honest living. I feel a strong interest in his success, and am persuaded that wherever he is placed, he will show rare capacity and fidelity. I wish it might be in your power to receive him into your own counting-room. But, of course, that must be according to your convenience. At any rate, may I rely on you to act a friendly part by my young friend, and to exert your influence toward procuring him a position elsewhere, if you cannot employ him yourself? Anything that you may have it in your power to do for Herbert, I shall consider as a favor done to myself.

I have just left my daughter, who, with her family, is well. Sincerely, your friend,

JAMES CARROLL.”

“That is a very kind letter,” thought Herbert, gratefully. “I hope it will do me good.”

He decided to call and deliver it the same forenoon. If he had not been robbed of nearly the whole of his small capital, he would, first, have gone about the city, which was entirely new to him. But, with less than four dollars between himself and utter destitution, he felt that he had no time for sight-seeing. It was necessary that he should get to work as soon as possible.

He waited till ten o’clock, thinking it possible that the heads of the firm might not reach the counting-room till about that time. It was now eight o’clock only. He had two hours, therefore, to look about him.

“Shine yer boots?” said a ragged urchin, approaching, with a suggestive look at his soiled shoes.

It occurred to Herbert that it would be best to look as well as possible when visiting Godfrey.

“Ten cents.”

“It’s too much,” said Herbert, thinking how few dimes constituted his entire worldly wealth.

“Well, five, then,” said the bootblack, coming down to his regular price.