A GOOD ACTION MEETS ITS REWARD.
Paul Hoffman was standing beside his stock in trade, when all at once
he heard the question, so common in that neighborhood, "Shine yer
boots?"
"I guess not," said Paul, who felt that his income did not yet warrant
a daily outlay of ten cents for what he could easily do himself.
"I'll shine 'em for nothin'," said the boy.
Such a novel proposition induced Paul to notice more particularly the
boy who made it.
"Why for nothing?" he asked, in surprise, not recognizing Julius.
"You gave me a dinner yesterday," said Julius.
"Are you the boy?" asked Paul, with interest.
"I'm the one," answered Julius. "Will you have a shine?"
"I don't want any pay for the dinner," said Paul. "You're welcome to
it."
"I'd rather give you a shine," persisted Julius.
"All right," said Paul, pleased by his grateful spirit, and he put out
his foot.
"Won't you let me pay for it?" asked Paul, when the job was finished
and his boots were resplendent with a first-class polish.
"No," said Julius, hastily drawing back.
"Thank you, then. Have you had good luck this morning?"
"I got four shines," said Julius.
"I once blacked boots myself, for a little while," said Paul.
"You're doin' better now."
"Yes, I'm doing better now. So will you some day, I hope."
"Do you live in a house on Madison avenue?" asked Julius, abruptly.
"Yes," said Paul, surprised. "Who told you?"
"You take care of the house for a gentleman as has gone to Europe,
don't you?"
"How do you know it?" demanded Paul.
"I want to tell you something" said Julius, "only don't you never let
on as I told you."
"All right. Go ahead!" said Paul, more and more mystified.
"Ain't there some gold and bonds kept in the house?"
"Why do you ask?" demanded Paul, eying the boy with suspicion.
"There's a couple of chaps that's plannin' to rob the house," said
Julius, sinking his voice almost to a whisper, and looking cautiously
about him to guard against being overheard.
"Who are they? How do you know it?" asked Paul, startled.
"One is Jack Morgan, the man I live with; the other is a friend of
his, Tom Marlowe."
"Did you hear them talking about it?"
"Yes; last night."
"Did they tell you about it?"
"They wanted me to find out all about you--if you'd got any friends in
Brooklyn, or anywheres round. They want to get you off the night
they're goin' to break in."
"When is that?"
"Next Monday."
"What made you tell me all this?"
"'Cause you was good to me and give me a dinner when I was hungry."
"Give me your hand," said Paul, his heart warming toward the boy who
exhibited so uncommon a feeling as gratitude.
"It's dirty," said Julius, showing his hand stained with blacking.
"Never mind," said Paul, grasping it warmly. "You're a good fellow,
and I'd rather take your hand than a good many that's cleaner."
Julius, rough Arab as he was, looked gratified, and his face
brightened. He felt that he was appreciated, and was glad he had
revealed the plot.
"Now," said Paul, "you have told me about this man's plans; are you
willing to help me further? Are you willing to let me know anything
more that you find out about the robbery?"
"Yes, I will," said Julius, unhesitatingly.
"Then I'll depend upon you. What sort of a man is this that you live
with? What's his name?"
"His name is Jack Morgan. He's a bad sort, he is. He's shut up most of
the time."
"What makes you stay with him?"
"I'm used to him. There ain't nobody else I belong to."
"Is he your father?"
"No, he ain't."
"Any relation?"
"Sometimes he says he's my uncle, but maybe it ain't so--I dunno."
"Is he a strong man?"
"Yes; he's a hard customer in a fight."
"How about the other man?"
"That's Marlowe. He's the same sort. I like Jack best."
"Do you think they will try to break in next Monday night?"
"If they think you are away."
"What will you tell them?"
"What do you want me to tell them?" asked Julius, looking at him
earnestly.
"I don't know," said Paul, thoughtfully. "If you should say I was
going to be away, they'd want to know where, and how you found out.
They might suspect something."
"That's so," said Julius.
"Suppose they heard that I would remain in the house, what would they
do to prevent it?"
"They might get you took up on a false charge and put in the
station-house over night, or maybe they'd seize you if they got a
chance and lock you up somewhere."
"How could they have heard that Mr. Talbot left any valuables in the
house?"
Julius shook his head. On that point he could give no information.
"You may tell them," said Paul, after a moment's thought, "that I
have an aunt, Mrs. Green, living in Brooklyn."
"Whereabouts in Brooklyn?"
"No. 116 Third avenue," said Paul, at a venture. "Can you remember?"
"Yes."
"They will probably send a message from her late Monday evening for me
to go over there."
"Will you go?"
"I will leave the house, for they will probably be watching; but I
shall not go far, and I shall leave the house well guarded."
Julius nodded.
"I'll tell 'em," he said.
He was about to go, when Paul called him back.
"Won't you get yourself into trouble?" he said. "I should not want to
have any harm come to you."
"They won't know I'm in the game," answered Julius.
"Will you come to-morrow and let me know what they say?"
"Yes."
Julius crossed Broadway and turned into Fulton street, leaving Paul
full of thought. He felt what a great advantage it was to be
forewarned of the impending danger, since being forewarned was
forearmed, as with the help of the police he could prepare for his
burglarious visitors. He saw that the money he had paid for a dinner
for a hungry boy was likely to prove an excellent investment, and he
determined that this should not be the last favor Julius received from
him.
Meanwhile Julius returned to business. With the help of his blacking
materials he succeeded in earning a dollar before the close of the
day. Unluckily, half of this was to be given to the young capitalist
who had supplied him with a box and brush; but still fifty cents was
more than he would probably have earned if he had been compelled to
depend upon chance jobs. At six o'clock he met his young employer and
handed over fifty cents, which the other pocketed with much
satisfaction.
"Do you want to take the box ag'in to-morrow?" he asked.
"Yes," said Julius.
"All right. You can keep it then. You can take it home with you and
bring me the stamps to-morrow night at this same hour."
So the contract was continued, and Julius, having treated himself to
some supper, went home.
Jack Morgan was already there. He looked up as Julius entered.
"Where'd you get that box?" he asked.
"I borrored it."
"Of a boy?"
"Yes; I give him half I makes."
"How much did you make to-day?"
"Ten shines. That was a dollar."
"And half of it went to you?"
"Yes, Jack."
"Where is it?"
"I had to get my dinner and supper. There's all that's left."
He handed Jack ten cents.
"Why didn't you keep the whole of the money?" grumbled Jack. "You
needn't have paid the boy."
"He'd have licked me."
"Then I'd lick him."
Julius shook his head.
"That would be cheatin'," he said. "I wouldn't want to cheat him when
he give me the box."
"Oh, you're gettin' mighty particular," sneered Jack, not very well
satisfied at having so large a portion of the boy's earnings diverted
from himself.
"If I had a box and brush of my own I could keep all the stamps I
made," said Julius.
"I'm dead broke. I can't give you no money to buy one. Did you go to
see that boy I told you of?"
"Paul Hoffman?"
"Yes, if that's his name."
"Yes, I went to see him."
"And did you find out anything?" asked Jack, with eagerness.
"Yes."
"Well, out with it, then. Don't let me do all the talking."
"He's got an aunt as lives in Brooklyn."
"Whereabouts?"
"No. 116 Third avenue."
"How did you find out?"
"I got 'him to talkin'."
"That's good. And did he suspect you?"
"No," said Julius.
"No. 116 Third avenue," repeated Jack. "I must put that down. Did he
tell you the name?"
"Mrs. Green."
"That's good. We'll trump up a message from her late Monday evening. I
wish I knew how things was arranged in the house."
"Maybe I could go there," said Julius.
"What, to the house?"
"Yes. I could go there in the evenin' and ask him if he'd let me have
some old clothes. Maybe he'd invite me upstairs, and--"
"You could use your eyes. That's a good idea, but I don't believe
you'd get a chance to go up."
"Shall I try?"
"Yes; you may try to-morrow night. If we make a haul, you shall have
your share. Halloo, Marlowe!"
These last words were addressed to Marlowe, who entered
unceremoniously without knocking.
"I'm in luck," said Marlowe. "Here's a fiver," and he displayed a
five-dollar greenback. "Come out and we'll have a jolly supper."
Jack accepted the invitation with alacrity, communicating to his
companion as they walked along the information Julius had picked up.