Tom Temple's Career

“Very true; I wouldn’t have stood his impudence otherwise. Squire Davenport’s family got disgusted with him. He put on his airs even with them. So he went in the steerage, did he?”

WHEN Tom deposited himself in bed, he found the straw-bed even more uncomfortable than he anticipated. The straw crackled beneath him at every movement, and was far from affordi...

“I am not likely to forget my dependence, Imogene,” said Mary. “You take care to remind me of it often enough. You might spare me at least before Mr. Temple.”

“Mr. Armstrong told me that he should probably be able to pay me thirty cents on a dollar. That will be three thousand dollars. So, you see, I shall have something to fall back...

“You should not tease your sister, James,” said his mother. “It is perfectly natural that Tom should be polite to your sister. He is in her own social rank, and will possess a f...

FROM the deck of the steamer, as it entered the harbor of San Francisco, Tom looked with eager interest at the city which was to be the scene of his future activity. But a few y...

TOM RE-ENTERED his new boarding-place as the clock struck eight. Mr. and Mrs. Middleton were discussing him, but stopped short as he came in. They foresaw that he would be troub...

Half a mile from the lawyer’s house was a river, narrow but with a swift current. Thither the boys directed their steps. Under a tree a round-bottomed boat of fair size was padl...

TOM HAD been in the woods, where by good fortune he had cut a stout stick with a thick, gnarled top, something like the top of a cane. Armed with this weapon, he rushed between...

ON THE main street, in the town of Plympton, stood a two-story house, with a narrow lawn in front. It had a stiff, staid look of decorum, as if no children were ever allowed to...

By accident he found himself seated next to Mary Somers, the poor cousin. The two conversed quite socially, rather to the disgust of Imogene, who, hearing that Tom was rich, wis...

THE STAGE stopped in front of the Plympton Hotel two days afterward. There were several inside passengers, but with these we have nothing to do. Beside the driver sat a stout bo...

“If the Middleton’s are a fair specimen of the people of Plympton, it’s a good place to emigrate from,” he thought. “However, I’ll stay a while and see what turns up.”

TOM STROLLED about the lower part of the city, keeping his eyes wide open. He must have walked several miles, but he did not feel tired. There was so much to see, and everything...

“I wish I had known in time; but I have filled your place, and though I would much rather employ you, I don’t think it would be right to discharge your successor.”

IT MUST not be supposed that Tom cared nothing for the loss of his fortune. He was old enough to know the value of money, and to realize the great difference it would make in th...

TOM’S NEW employer was Oliver Burton. He had come from New Jersey originally with the intention of going to the mines, but he was shrewd enough to see, on landing in San Francis...

“Very likely,” said Morton, recovering himself, convinced that it was only an accidental coincidence. He was naturally suspicious, not knowing what steps might have been taken t...

TOM WAS up and about early the next morning. But there was one who was earlier than he. On leaving the robbers he saw the captain pacing to and fro, apparently engrossed by his...

TOM GOT along tolerably well with the Middletons. They had found out that it was necessary to give him his own way, for he was sure to obtain it sooner or later in a way that an...

THE CAPTAIN’S presentiments were verified. The suspicions of his lieutenant had been aroused by his unusual manner, nor had they been allayed by the explanation he gave of his i...

THE BURGLAR, fairly trapped, gnashed his teeth with rage. To have been caught thus by a boy whom he had despised, increased his rage and humiliation. Besides he was in great per...

THREE months passed, and Tom was still a boarder with the Middletons. The academy—for there was one in the town—was in session, and Tom was numbered among the pupils. James Dave...

IN SPITE of the exciting events of the night Tom fell asleep and slept soundly till morning. He had done his duty as a matter of course and it did not occur to him that he had d...

TOM REACHED New York about noon. It was a bright, pleasant day, and he was in excellent spirits, although he had just lost a fortune. This was partly due, no doubt, to the pleas...

THE TWO customers did not notice Tom’s earnest look, nor his start of surprise, but asked to look at a miner’s outfit. Tom waited upon them, and listened eagerly, hoping to hear...

“You wish to plead for your friend?” interrupted the captain. “If that is all, I will tell you to begin with, that it is of no use. I shall not give them up.”

AFTER supper, which hardly corresponded with the price he was paying, Tom went out to look at the town. Five years had elapsed since the first discovery of gold, and society was...

When Tom heard the name Armstrong, all his doubts were removed. There was no longer a doubt that he had found the absconding clerk. But that was not his only object. He desired...

TOM HAD an easy way of adapting himself to the company he was in. Moreover, being a boy, he was regarded with less distrust than if he had been older. He sat down with the robbe...

THEY walked for about a mile, threading the intricacies of the forest. Tom did not particularly mind the walk. In fact, though the idea of being a captive in the hands of robber...

IT WAS twilight of the second day. They had exchanged the stage-coach for a rude wagon, which jolted uncomfortably over the rough roads. They had traveled for the greater part o...

WHEN Tom came down stairs to supper he was struck by the naked appearance of the table. The Middletons had returned to their old economical fare. Mr. Middleton looked sober, and...

WHEN Nathan Middleton reached home at three o’clock in the afternoon, his face wore the look of mysterious importance that indicated the possession of a secret. His wife underst...

TOM SPENT five days in pursuit of employment, but without success. True, he made three dollars one day by carrying a message, but when this was offset against an expenditure of...

USUALLY Tom slept with the revolver under his pillow. This night he had neglected to do so. Even had it been there, however, it would have been as much as his life was worth to...

“Mr. Highwayman,” he said, “I assure you it isn’t worth your while to rob me. My Dutch friend here is a great capitalist—a banker, I believe. Be content with what he will give y...

TOM SPENT the following three days in making himself familiar with localities in New York. He procured a pocket-map of the city, and guiding himself by it, walked about to so mu...

“I think you can,” said Mr. Armstrong, observing him attentively. “You look like one who is destined to succeed. If I were where I was a month ago, _I_ would take you into my em...

TOM WAS very much shocked at the tragical fate of his companion. Though he had been an outlaw and a chief of a noted gang of robbers, it had been his purpose to break away from...

MR. ARMSTRONG sat in his counting-room deep in thought. An arrangement had been made with his creditors by which he was allowed to go on. It was his ambition to repay them their...

TWO HOURS later a note was received from Mrs. Davenport, inviting Tom to pass the day at her house. It was brought by an errand-boy, and arrived just as Tom, having arranged his...

THE FIDDLER struck up a lively polka. The members of the band, two by two, begun to dance. Gates, entering into the spirit of the joke, impressed Tom as a not unwilling partner,...