Mrs. Fenton sped down lo the rooms of Mrs. Sheehan on the next lower floor.
"Can you lend me three dollars, Mrs. Sheehan?" asked Mrs. Fenton, breathless. "Mr. Mack threatens to turn us out on the sidewalk."
"I wish I could, Mrs. Fenton," said Mrs. Sheehan heartily, "but I bought my John a suit yesterday, and it"s taken all my money except seventy-five cents. I"d be glad to oblige you, indeed I would."
"I"ve no doubt of it," sighed the widow, for it was her last hope.
"Well, have you got the money?" asked Zebulon Mack, as she reappeared.
"No, sir."
"Just what I thought. Go ahead, Finnegan."
They took up the bureau and slowly moved to the door, and down the staircase with it.
"It"s a shame!" said Mrs. Sheehan, standing at her door.
"You"d better look out, ma"am! It may be your turn next," said the landlord with a scowl. "If it is I won"t wait for you a minute."
"It"s a hard man, you are, Mr. Mack."
"I need to be," said Zebulon Mack grimly. "If I wasn"t it"s precious little rent I"d get in."
The outlook for the Fentons was dark indeed.
CHAPTER V.
AN ADVENTURE ON THE TRAIN.
Fred was on board his regular train that same morning at the usual hour, and started on his round of duty. He sold four morning papers, but trade seemed rather dull. About eleven o"clock he went through the first car distributing some packages of candy to the various pa.s.sengers. On reaching the end of the car he returned, collecting the money for those purchased, and reclaiming those not wanted.
About midway of the car was a man of middle age, with small, insignificant features, and a mean look. He seemed very much absorbed in reading a penny paper when the train boy came up.
"Will you buy the package of candy?" asked Fred.
"What package?" asked the pa.s.senger, looking up.
"The one I left with you when I pa.s.sed through the car."
"I don"t know what you mean. You left no package with me."
"I remember distinctly leaving you a package."
"You are thinking of some other man."
"No, I am not."
"You are mistaken!" said the pa.s.senger, frowning.
"Will you be kind enough to get up and let me see if it is on the seat, or has fallen underneath?"
"No, I won"t."
Fred was convinced that the pa.s.senger had secreted the package, and was scheming to cheat him out of the dime. He was a boy of spirit, and he did not propose to be swindled.
"Sir," he said in a louder tone, "I am a poor boy trying to earn an honest living. If you don"t pay for this package I shall have to."
"That is none of my business. I shall not pay for what I haven"t got.
Boy, you are very impertinent. I shall report you to the president of the road."
"You may do so if you want to. I can"t afford to give away my stock in trade."
"Boy," interposed a pompous gentleman sitting opposite, "I quite agree with this gentleman. You are not employed to insult pa.s.sengers."
"Or to be cheated by them," said Fred hotly.
"If you treated me in this way, I would make it my business to have you discharged."
"Even if I was right?"
"Of course you are not right. This gentleman"s word outweighs yours."
"Why should it?"
"He is a respectable gentleman, and you are only a poor train boy."
"That may be, sir, but I always tell the truth."
"Like George Washington," sneered the stout gentleman.
Fred felt that he was losing his case, and the mean pa.s.senger smiled with satisfaction. But his triumph was short-lived. The train boy found an unexpected defender.
"The boy is right," said a young lady sitting directly behind the pa.s.senger with whom Fred had his difficulty. "I saw this man take the package and put it in his pocket. I have waited with some curiosity to see whether he would persist in his attempt to cheat the boy out of his money."
There was an instant revulsion of feeling. The attempted swindler looked as if a bombsh.e.l.l had exploded at his feet.
"There is some error," he stammered. "The young lady is mistaken."
"I am not mistaken," said the young lady positively "If this man will allow his pockets to be examined, the package will be found."
The man rose from his seat and prepared to leave the car.
"I ain"t used to being insulted," he said.
"Gentlemen," said the young lady, "you have only to look at this man"s side-pocket to see that it contains the package."