THE BARNACLE THAT CAME TO STAY
The man in the doorway, Andrew Hosmer, had watched this remarkable
scene with a variety of emotions. He realized that something in the
nature of a calamity had come upon them, for if his poor, hard-working
wife had found it difficult, even with the generous help of good
friends in Scranton, to provide food for the two of them, however
could she manage to add still another to the household, and feed a
third mouth?
Still, this man was undoubtedly Luther Corbley, the brother of whom
she had so often talked, and who was believed to be long since dead,
because he led such an adventurous life. And surely they could not be
so inhuman as to deny him at least temporary shelter, and a share of
their slender meals.
So, greatly to the disgust of Thad in particular, Mr. Hosmer now came
forward to offer his hand to the tramp, who took it eagerly. The
look on Brother Lu's face impressed Hugh as one of strange import.
He could not make it out at all, and even found himself vaguely
wondering whether this man might not after all be some sort of artful
impostor, who, having learned about the lost brother, chose to play
the part simply to be well taken care of for a time.
But then surely Matilda would soon be able to tell, when she got to
talking of their childhood days. A thousand things were apt to come
up, and even a cunning schemer could not help betraying his vast
ignorance along such lines.
About this time Brother Lu seemed to have one of his periodical
outbursts of violent coughing. Indeed, he rather outdid himself
on this occasion, as though determined to make a good showing before
his newly-found relatives, and thus enlist their full-fledged sympathy
in the start.
Matilda seemed fairly shocked as he strained, and writhed, and almost
burst a blood vessel with his efforts. Thad stood and watched, his
lip curling as though he could no longer be deceived. To him the
whole thing was now very much in the nature of a fraud, a delusion,
and a snare. He did not doubt the identity of Brother Lu, but as
to the genuine nature of his malady, that was another question entirely,
and Thad could not be impressed again. He fully believed the man
was faking sickness just to gain the sympathy of these simple people,
and work out the game he had in view, which Thad was convinced was
to make a snug nest for himself during the rest of the summer, perhaps
for all time.
"Let's be going along, Hugh," he said, as he wheeled on his chum, the
light of honest indignation glowing in his eyes; "this thing is making
me feel sick, and I can't stand much more of it!"
Hugh himself was agreeable. He intended, however, to see considerably
more of Brother Lu in the immediate future, and expected to be able
to gauge the fellow for what he really was. If he felt positive that
there was a chance of his being an impostor, Hugh would consider it
his duty to warn Mr. Hosmer, so that with the help of his wife they
might catch the fellow in some sort of trap and expose him. Even
though he did turn out to be the genuine article, Hugh felt that it
would be a shame to have him hanging on the poor couple, and causing
Matilda to work harder than ever to provide food, while possibly this
able bodied tramp led a lazy sort of an existence.
Accordingly the two boys strolled on, not having far to go in order
to reach Hugh's home, where he could deliver the "sweet butter" he
had gone out to the farm after. Just as Hugh anticipated, Thad
"boiled over" as soon as they were out of earshot of the Hosmer
cottage. Turning to look back he had seen the wretched hobo being
tenderly escorted into the little dwelling, hardly more than a dove-cote
in point of size, Matilda on one side, and her husband on the other;
and the sight caused Thad to grit his teeth savagely.
"I tell you it's a burning shame for that husky fraud to impose
himself on that poor old couple the way he has done," grumbled Thad.
"He's no more sick than I am. Didn't you see how he devoured all
that food at a sitting? No man wasting away with consumption could
stuff like that. And see how fat he is in the bargain; why, he'd
make two of old Mr. Hosmer. Yet they are ready to take him in, feed
him three meals a day, give him the best bed in the house, most likely,
and for an indefinite time. Uh! thunder! it makes me furious just to
think of it."
Hugh was amused at seeing Thad act in this way, because it was so
unlike his usual cool demeanor. Undoubtedly he was, as he had said,
indignant from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.
"We'll both of us keep an eye on Brother Lu," remarked Hugh, "and try
to learn his little game. You know he asked us to come over and see
him, when he would keep his promise to tell us some thrilling yarns
about his adventures in many lands."
"Oh! I've no doubt the fellow has a slick tongue in his mouth, and
can spin stories that haven't a particle of foundation except in his
brain. He's no ignoramus, that's sure, and if he hasn't traveled in
all those countries he's read about the same, and can talk everlastingly
about things he imagines he's seen."
"But all the while we'll be watching to trip him up, don't you see?"
the other continued. "I'll set Matilda to fixing a trap or two that
will settle the question about his being the man he says he is."
"Oh! I'm not thinking so much about that!" burst out Thad, "even
if he is Luther Corbley, her own brother, that isn't the main trouble.
It's about his fastening himself like a barnacle or a leech on them
that I hate to consider. It makes me think of bow the Old Man of
the Sea, after being helped by Sindbad the Sailor, refused to get
off his benefactor's shoulders when asked. That's what this chap
means to do, get so comfortably settled that nothing can dislodge him."
"We'll see about that," snapped Hugh, his eyes sparkling now. "Some
of the good people of the town who are interested in the welfare of
Mr. Hosmer and his wife will object, and so Brother Lu may have to
trudge along again."
"I'm afraid you'll run up against a snag when you try that sort of
thing, Hugh. That snag will be the affection of Matilda. She's
_awfully_ tender-hearted, you can see, and would rather go hungry
herself than that any one related to her should suffer, even a little.
Just think of that beast being installed in their home. Every time
he thinks it necessary to stir up a little extra sympathy he'll start
that old gag of coughing to work again. Oh! I feel as if I could
willingly help duck him in Hobson's Mill-pond, or give him a ride
out of town on a rail some fine night."
Hugh had to laugh at hearing this honest outburst.
"No use talking, you don't seem to have much feeling for the woes of
a poor old homeless tramp, Thad," he told his chum.
"Well, I haven't, if you want me to give you the honest truth," said
Thad, bluntly; "in my humble opinion any husky man who is willing
to loaf around and let a delicate woman like Matilda Hosmer labor
for his support doesn't deserve a grain of pity. Remember, Hugh,
I'm not referring to her husband, who is a good fellow, and doing
all he can to get his strength back again, so he can go to his trade,
and allow her to take things easier. I'm going to tell my folks all
about it. The women of this town ought to do something to influence
Mrs. Hosmer, if she persists in letting that hulk of a lazybones stay
with her, and be fed at her expense."
"That might be a bright idea, in good time," assented Hugh. "Surely
our mothers would know how to manage, and could get Matilda to give
the man his walking papers; though on second thought I really believe
she would refuse, even if they declared they would have to decline to
assist her further unless she chased Brother Lu away from her cottage
home. He knows her character, too, because you remember how he told
us Matilda always was a tender-hearted thing, and would not stand by
and see a wretched dog suffer if she could prevent it by any personal
sacrifice."
Thad did not reply immediately, but made a number of highly significant
gestures, of a nature to cause Hugh to fancy the other were punching
some fellow's head in a satisfactory fashion. And somehow actions
spoke louder than words in that case.
"Don't let this queer business weigh too heavily on your mind, Thad,"
warned the other, as they prepared to separate. "We've got a game
ahead of us, remember, and it's mighty important that the catcher
behind the bat should keep his wits about him."
"I guess I know all that, Hugh," chuckled Thad. "Once I get to
playing ball, and there's going to be nothing interfere with my
work as a backstop. I'm feeling in tip-top condition right now, and
everything working right expect to be a factor in bringing Belleville
down into the dust day after tomorrow."
"Once we get that game pulled off," observed Hugh, "and we won't
have another championship one for two weeks, because Allendale and
Belleville meet the next Saturday, though we expect to play another
team from Jenkintown, just to keep our hands in, you know. Our
next job will be to hustle with that strong Allendale combination,
that broke up everything last season, and went through with only
one defeat."
"But next week, with nothing on our hands, Hugh, we can turn our
attention to this miserable business again, can't we?"
"Why, I know of no reason to prevent it," observed the other. "Let's
hope that by then Brother Lu will have decided town life is too dull
for him, and be once more holding down the railroad ties in his
journeying through the country. I've read that it's mighty hard for
a genuine tramp to settle down to any civilized sort of existence.
You see, they're of a sort of migrating gypsy breed, and get as
uneasy as a fish out of water when stalled for any length of time."
"'Course that would settle it all beautifully," agreed Thad, with
a relieved look on his honest face; "but according to my mind it
would be too good to come true. That sly chap means to play the
game to the limit. As long as he isn't half starved he'll hang
on there, and work upon the sympathy of those poor people. The
only sure way to get him dislodged would be to cut his rations short;
though to do that you'd have to hurt Matilda and her sick husband.
But give me a little time, and I'll fix him, that's right, I will!"
If Brother Lu could only have seen and heard all this he might have
been made a bit uneasy, under the conviction that his soft berth
in his sister's home was not going to prove such an easy snap as
the conditions seemed to imply. Hugh found himself wondering just
how the fellow would take it. Brother Lu was becoming something
of a mystery to Hugh, and he was already making up his mind that
it would afford him great pleasure to study the rogue still further,
and see what that sly gleam or twinkle in his blue eyes really stood
for.
"Come over tonight, Thad, and we'll talk matters over again---baseball
matters, I mean, of course," Hugh called out as his chum started away.
"Just as you say, Hugh, though I was expecting that you'd favor me
with a call. There are a few little things that had ought to be
straightened out before we hit that slugging nine over in Belleville.
I hope Alan Tyree keeps up his good work in the box. Lately he's
seemed to be doing finely, and Mr. Saunders declares he could mow
down a lot of heavy hitters in the college league. Well, we'll
know more about a heap of things when Saturday night comes around.
See you later, then, Hugh!"