Produced by Charles Keller and David Widger
JOE THE HOTEL BOY
OR
WINNING OUT BY PLUCK
By Horatio Alger, Jr.
CONTENTS.
I. OUT IN A STORM
II. A MYSTERIOUS CONVERSATION
III. A HOME IN RUINS
IV. THE SEARCH FOR THE BLUE BOX
V. A NEW SUIT OF CLOTHES
VI. AN ACCIDENT ON THE LAKE
VII. BLOWS AND KIND DEEDS
VIII. THE TIMID MR. GUSSING
IX. AN UNFORTUNATE OUTING
X. DAVID BALL FROM MONTANA
XI. A FRUITLESS CHASE
XII. THE PARTICULARS OF A SWINDLE
XIII. OFF FOR THE CITY
XIV. A SCENE ON THE TRAIN
XV. WHAT HAPPENED TO JOSIAH BEAN
XVI. A MATTER OF SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS
XVII. JOE'S NEW POSITION
XVIII. JOE SHOWS HIS MUSCLE
XIX. ONE KIND OF A DUEL
XX. ATTACKED IN THE DARK
XXI. DAYS AT THE HOTEL
XXII. ABOUT SOME MINING SHARES
XXIII. THE FIRE AT THE HOTEL
XXIV. THE BLUE BOX AT LAST
XXV. JOE VISITS CHICAGO
XXVI. HOW A SATCHEL DISAPPEARED
XXVII. JOE MAKES A DISCOVERY
XXVIII. FROM OUT OF A TREE
XXIX. THE FATE OF TWO EVILDOERS
XXX. CONCLUSION
PREFACE.
A number of years ago the author of this story set out to depict life
among the boys of a great city, and especially among those who had to
make their own way in the world. Among those already described are
the ways of newsboys, match boys, peddlers, street musicians, and many
others.
In the present tale are related the adventures of a country lad who,
after living for some time with a strange hermit, goes forth into the
world and finds work, first in a summer hotel and then in a large hotel
in the city. Joe finds his road no easy one to travel, and he has to
face not a few hardships, but in the end all turns out well.
It may be added here that many of the happenings told of in this story,
odd as they may seem, are taken from life. Truth is indeed stranger than
fiction, and life itself is full of romance from start to finish.
If there is a moral to be drawn from this story, it is a twofold one,
namely, that honesty is always the best policy, and that if one wishes
to succeed in life he must stick at his work steadily and watch every
opportunity for advancement.
JOE THE HOTEL BOY.
CHAPTER I.
OUT IN A STORM.
“What do you think of this storm, Joe?”
“I think it is going to be a heavy one, Ned. I wish we were back home,”
replied Joe Bodley, as he looked at the heavy clouds which overhung Lake
Tandy.
“Do you think we'll catch much rain before we get back?” And Ned, who
was the son of a rich man and well dressed, looked at the new suit of
clothes that he wore.
“I'm afraid we shall, Ned. Those black clouds back of Mount Sam mean
something.” “If this new suit gets soaked it will be ruined,” grumbled
Ned, and gave a sigh.
“I am sorry for the suit, Ned; but I didn't think it was going to rain
when we started.”
“Oh, I am not blaming you, Joe. It looked clear enough this morning.
Can't we get to some sort of shelter before the rain reaches us?”
“We can try.”
“Which is the nearest shelter?”
Joe Bodley mused for a moment.
“The nearest that I know of is over at yonder point, Ned. It's an old
hunting lodge that used to belong to the Cameron family. It has been
deserted for several years.”
“Then let us row for that place, and be quick about it,” said Ned
Talmadge. “I am not going to get wet if I can help it.”
As he spoke he took up a pair of oars lying in the big rowboat he and
Joe Bodley occupied. Joe was already rowing and the rich boy joined in,
and the craft was headed for the spot Joe had pointed out.
The lake was one located in the central part of the State of
Pennsylvania. It was perhaps a mile wide and more than that long, and
surrounded by mountains and long ranges of hills. At the lower end of
the lake was a small settlement of scant importance and at the
upper end, where there was a stream of no mean size, was the town of
Riverside. At Riverside were situated several summer hotels and boarding
houses, and also the elegant mansion in which Ned Talmadge resided, with
his parents and his four sisters.
Joe Bodley was as poor as Ned Talmadge was rich, yet the two lads were
quite friendly. Joe knew a good deal about hunting and fishing, and also
knew all about handling boats. They frequently went out together, and
Ned insisted upon paying the poorer boy for all extra services.
Joe's home was located on the side of the mountain which was just now
wrapped in such dark and ominous looking clouds. He lived with Hiram
Bodley, an old man who was a hermit. The home consisted of a cabin of
two rooms, scantily furnished. Hiram Bodley had been a hunter and guide,
but of late years rheumatism had kept him from doing work and Joe was
largely the support of the pair,--taking out pleasure parties for pay
whenever he could, and fishing and hunting in the between times, and
using or selling what was gained thereby.
There was a good deal of a mystery surrounding Joe's parentage. It was
claimed that he was a nephew of Hiram Bodley, and that, after the death
of his mother and sisters, his father had drifted out to California and
then to Australia. What the real truth concerning him was we shall learn
later.
Joe was a boy of twelve, but constant life in the open air had made him
tall and strong and he looked to be several years older.
He had dark eyes and hair, and was much tanned by the sun. The rowboat
had been out a good distance on the lake and a minute before the shore
was gained the large drops of rain began to fall.
“We are going to get wet after all!” cried Ned, chagrined.
“Pull for all you are worth and we'll soon be under the trees,” answered
Joe.
They bent to the oars, and a dozen more strokes sent the rowboat under
a clump of pines growing close to the edge of the lake. Just as the boat
struck the bank and Ned leaped out there came a great downpour which
made the surface of Lake Tandy fairly sizzle.
“Run to the lodge, Ned; I'll look after the boat!” shouted Joe.
“But you'll get wet.”
“Never mind; run, I tell you!”
Thus admonished, Ned ran for the old hunting lodge, which was situated
about two hundred feet away. Joe remained behind long enough to secure
the rowboat and the oars and then he followed his friend.
Just as one porch of the old lodge was reached there came a flash
of lightning, followed by a clap of thunder that made Ned jump. Then
followed more thunder and lightning, and the rain came down steadily.
“Ugh! I must say I don't like this at all,” remarked Ned, as he crouched
in a corner of the shelter. “I hope the lightning doesn't strike this
place.”
“We can be thankful that we were not caught out in the middle of the
lake, Ned.”
“I agree on that, Joe,--but it doesn't help matters much. Oh, dear me!”
And Ned shrank down, as another blinding flash of lightning lit up the
scene.
It was not a comfortable situation and Joe did not like it any more than
did his friend. But the hermit's boy was accustomed to being out in the
elements, and therefore was not so impressed by what was taking place.
“The rain will fill the boat,” said Ned, presently.
“Never mind, we can easily bail her out or turn her over.”
“When do you think this storm will stop?”
“In an hour or two, most likely. Such storms never last very long. What
time is it, Ned?”
“Half-past two,” answered Ned, after consulting the handsome watch he
carried.
“Then, if it clears in two hours, we'll have plenty of time to get home
before dark.”
“I don't care to stay here two hours,” grumbled Ned. “It's not a very
inviting place.”
“It's better than being out under the trees,” answered Joe, cheerfully.
The hermit's boy was always ready to look on the brighter side of
things.
“Oh, of course.”
“And we have a fine string of fish, don't forget that, Ned. We were
lucky to get so many before the storm came up.”
“Do you want the fish, or are you going to let me take them?”
“I'd like to have one fish. You may take the others.”
“Not unless you let me pay for them, Joe.”
“Oh, you needn't mind about paying me.”
“But I insist,” came from Ned. “I won't touch them otherwise.”
“All right, you can pay me for what I caught.”
“No, I want to pay for all of them. Your time is worth something, and I
know you have to support your--the old hermit now.”
“All right, Ned, have your own way. Yes, I admit, I need all the money I
get.”
“Is the old hermit very sick?”
“Not so sick, but his rheumatism keeps him from going out hunting or
fishing, so all that work falls to me.”
“It's a good deal on your shoulders, Joe.”
“I make the best of it, for there is nothing else to do.”
“By the way, Joe, you once spoke to me about--well, about yourself,”
went on Ned, after some hesitation. “Did you ever learn anything more?
You need not tell me if you don't care to.”
At these words Joe's face clouded for an instant.
“No, I haven't learned a thing more, Ned.”
“Then you don't really know if you are the hermit's nephew or not?”
“Oh, I think I am, but I don't know whatever became of my father.”
“Does the hermit think he is alive?”
“He doesn't know, and he hasn't any means of finding out.”
“Well, if I were you, I'd find out, some way or other.”
“I'm going to find out--some day,” replied Joe. “But, to tell the truth,
I don't know how to go at it. Uncle Hiram doesn't like to talk about it.
He thinks my father did wrong to go away. I imagine they had a quarrel
over it.”
“Has he ever heard from your father since?”
“Not a word.”
“Did he write?”
“He didn't know where to write to.”
“Humph! It is certainly a mystery, Joe.”
“You are right, Ned; and as I said before, I am going to solve it some
time, even if it takes years of work to do it,” replied the hermit's
boy.