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STRONG AND STEADY
* * * * * *
HORATIO ALGER'S Successful Juvenile Books
RAGGED DICK SERIES.
_Complete in Six Volumes._
TATTERED TOM SERIES.
A Continuation of the Ragged Dick Series.
_FIRST SERIES, in Four Volumes, now ready._
_SECOND SERIES, in Four Volumes, preparing._
LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES.
_FIRST SERIES, in Four Volumes, now ready._
_SECOND SERIES, in Four Volumes, preparing._
CAMPAIGN SERIES.
_Complete in Three Volumes._
Each Volume is sold, separate.
RAGGED DICK SERIES.
_Complete in Six Volumes--in a Box._
I. RAGGED DICK; or, Street Life in New York.
II. FAME AND FORTUNE; or, The Progress of Richard Hunter.
III. MARK, THE MATCH BOY.
IV. ROUGH AND READY; or, Life Among New York Newsboys.
V. BEN, THE LUGGAGE BOY; or, Among the Wharves.
VI. RUFUS AND ROSE; or, The Fortunes of Rough and Ready.
_Price, $1.25 per volume._
_TATTERED TOM SERIES._
First Series _in Four Volumes_--_in Box_.
I. TATTERED TOM; or, The Story of a Street Arab.
II. PAUL, THE PEDDLER; or, The Adventures of a Young Street
Merchant.
III. PHIL, THE FIDDLER; or, The Young Street Musician.
IV. SLOW AND SURE; or, From the Sidewalk to the Shop.
_Price, $1.25 per volume._
SECOND SERIES.
I. JULIUS; or, The Street Boy out West.
II. THE YOUNG OUTLAW; A Story of the Street,--Oct., '74.
_LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES._
First Series _in Four Volumes_--_in Box_.
I. LUCK AND PLUCK; or, John Oakley's Inheritance.
II. SINK OR SWIM; or, Harry Raymond's Resolve.
III. STRONG AND STEADY; or, Paddle your own Canoe.
IV. STRIVE AND SUCCEED; or, The Progress of Walter Conrad.
_Price, $1.50 per volume._
SECOND SERIES.
I. TRY AND TRUST; or, The Story of a Bound Boy.
II. BOUND TO RISE; or, How Harry Walton rose in the World.
III. UP THE LADDER; or Harry Walton's Success, in Oct, '74.
_CAMPAIGN SERIES._
I. FRANK'S CAMPAIGN.
II. PAUL PRESCOTT'S CHARGE.
III. CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE.
_Price, $1.25 per volume._
* * * * * *
[Illustration]
LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES.
by HORATIO ALGER, JR.
LUCK and PLUCK.
STRONG AND STEADY;
Or, Paddle Your Own Canoe.
by
HORATIO ALGER, JR.
Author of "Ragged Dick Series," "Tattered Tom Series," "Luck and
Pluck Series," "Campaign Series," etc.
Loring, Publisher,
Cor. Bromfield and Washington Streets,
Boston.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871,
by A. K. Loring,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Stereotyped and Printed by Rockwell & Churchill, Boston.
To
MY YOUNG FRIENDS,
WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON,
_IN THE HOPE THAT THEY MAY EMULATE THE VIRTUES
OF THE DISTINGUISHED MEN WHOSE
NAMES THEY BEAR_,
This Volume
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
PREFACE.
"STRONG AND STEADY" is the third volume of the "Luck and Pluck Series."
Though the story is quite distinct from its predecessors, it is intended
to illustrate the same general principle. Walter Conrad, the hero, is
unexpectedly reduced from affluence to poverty, and compelled to fight
his own way in life. Undaunted by misfortune, he makes up his mind to
"paddle his own canoe," and, declining the offers of friends, sets to
work with a resolute will and persistent energy, which command success
in the end.
Hoping that Walter's adventures may prove of interest to his young
readers, and win the same favorable verdict which has been pronounced
upon his previous books, the author takes his leave for the present,
with many thanks for the generous welcome so often accorded to him.
OCTOBER 15, 1871.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE ESSEX CLASSICAL INSTITUTE. 9
II. IN THE CARS. 18
III. AT HOME. 28
IV. JACOB DRUMMOND, OF STAPLETON. 33
V. JACOB DRUMMOND—CONTINUED. 38
VI. FUTURE PLANS. 48
VII. MR. DRUMMOND'S HUMBLE ROOF. 58
VIII. WALTER MAKES A REVELATION. 68
IX. HOW MR. DRUMMOND TOOK THE NEWS. 78
X. MR. DRUMMOND'S STORE. 88
XI. JOSHUA STIRS UP THE WRONG CUSTOMER. 98
XII. AFTER THE BATTLE. 108
XIII. THE ARROW AND THE PIONEER. 117
XIV. A BRILLIANT SCHEME. 127
XV. WAYS AND MEANS. 137
XVI. JOSHUA TRIES KEEPING STORE. 146
XVII. JOSHUA'S DISAPPOINTMENT. 155
XVIII. WALTER FINDS HIMSELF IN HOT WATER. 165
XIX. THE TABLES ARE TURNED. 175
XX. IN WHICH JOSHUA COMES TO GRIEF. 185
XXI. A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. 195
XXII. MESSRS. FLINT AND PUSHER. 206
XXIII. WALTER LOSES HIS MONEY. 216
XXIV. SLIPPERY DICK. 226
XXV. A HARD CUSTOMER. 236
XXVI. BUSINESS EXPERIENCES. 246
XXVII. A CABIN IN THE WOODS. 256
XXVIII. STRANGE ACQUAINTANCES. 266
XXIX. DANGER THREATENS. 276
XXX. THE ROBBER WALKS INTO A TRAP. 286
XXXI. WALTER'S ESCAPE. 296
XXXII. A STRANGE HIDING-PLACE. 306
XXXIII. WALTER SHOWS STRATEGY. 317
XXXIV. DELIVERANCE. 326
XXXV. THE LAST OF JACK MANGUM. 335
XXXVI. JOSHUA BIDS GOOD-BY TO STAPLETON. 345
XXXVII. CONCLUSION. 355
STRONG AND STEADY;
OR,
PADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE.
CHAPTER I.
THE ESSEX CLASSICAL INSTITUTE.
"You've got a nice room here, Walter."
"Yes, you know I am to stay here two years, and I might as well be
comfortable."
"It's ever so much better than my room--twice as big, to begin with.
Then, my carpet looks as if it had come down through several
generations. I'll bet the old lady had it when she was first married. As
for a mirror, I've got a seven-by-nine looking-glass that I have to look
into twice before I can see my whole face. As for the bedstead, it
creaks so when I jump into it that I expect every night it'll fall to
pieces like the 'one hoss shay,' and spill me on the floor. Now your
room is splendidly furnished."
"Yes, it is now, but father furnished it at his own expense. He said he
was willing to lay out a little money to make me comfortable."
"That's more than my father said. He told me it wouldn't do me any harm
to rough it."
"I don't know but he is right," said Walter. "Of course I don't object
to the new carpet and furniture,"--and he looked with pleasure at the
handsome carpet with its bright tints, the black walnut bookcase with
its glass doors, and the tasteful chamber furniture,--"but I shouldn't
consider it any hardship if I had to rough it, as you call it."
"Wouldn't you? Then I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll change rooms. You
can go round and board at Mrs. Glenn's, and I'll come here. What do you
say?"
"I am not sure how my father would look on that arrangement," said
Walter, smiling.
"I thought you'd find some way out," said Lemuel. "For my part, I don't
believe you'd fancy roughing it any better than I."
"I don't know," said Walter; "I've sometimes thought I shouldn't be very
sorry to be a poor boy, and have to work my own way."
"That's very well to say, considering you are the son of a rich man."
"So are you."
"Yes, but I don't get the benefit of it, and you do. What would you do
now if you were a poor boy?"
"I can't say, of course, now, but I would go to work at something. I am
sure I could earn my own living."
"I suppose I could, but I shouldn't want to."
"You're lazy, Lem, that's what's the matter with you."
"I know I am," said Lemuel, good-naturedly. "Some people are born lazy,
don't you think so?"
"Perhaps you are right," answered Walter, with a smile. "Now suppose we
open our Cæsar."
"I suppose we might as well. Here's another speech. I wish those old
fellows hadn't been so fond of speech-making. I like the accounts of
battles well enough, but the speeches are a bother."
"I like to puzzle them out, Lem."
"So don't I. How much have we got for a lesson?"
"Two sections."
While the boys are at work reading these two sections, two-thirds of the
work being done by Walter, whose head is clearer and whose knowledge
greater than his companion's, a little explanation shall be given, in
order that we may better understand the position and prospects of the
two boys introduced.
Of Lemuel Warner, it need only be said that he was a pleasant-looking
boy of fourteen, the son of a prosperous merchant in New York. Walter
Conrad was from a small inland town, where his father was the wealthiest
and most prominent and influential citizen, having a handsome
mansion-house, surrounded by extensive grounds.
How rich he was, was a matter of conjecture; but he was generally rated
as high as two hundred thousand dollars. Mrs. Conrad had been dead for
five years, so that Walter, who was an only child, had no immediate
relation except his father. It was for this reason, perhaps, that he had
been sent to the Essex Classical Institute, of which we find him a
member at the opening of our story. Being a boy of talent, and well
grounded in Latin, he was easily able to take a high rank in his class.
Lemuel Warner had become his intimate friend, being in the same class,
but considerably inferior to him in scholarship. They usually got their
Latin lessons together, and it was owing to this circumstance that
Lemuel made a better figure in his recitations than before Walter became
a member of the school.
"There, that job's done," said Lemuel, closing his book with an air of
satisfaction. "Now we can rest."
"You forget the Latin exercise."
"Oh, bother the Latin exercise! I don't see what's the use of writing
Latin any way. English composition is hard enough. What's to be done?"
"You know the doctor expects each boy to write a letter in Latin,
addressed to his father, not less than twelve lines in length."
"It isn't to be sent home, is it? Mr. Warner senior, I reckon, would
stare a little when he got his. He wouldn't know Latin from Cherokee."
"Possibly your Latin won't differ much from Cherokee, Lem."
"What's the use of being sarcastic on a fellow, and hurting his
feelings?" said Lem, laughing in a way to show that his feelings were
not very seriously hurt. "I say, couldn't one crib a little from Cæsar?"
"Not very well, considering the doctor is slightly familiar with that
author."
"I wonder whether Cæsar used to write home to his father when he was at
boarding-school. If he did, I should like to get hold of some of his
letters."
"They would probably have to be altered considerably to adapt them to
the present time."
"Well, give me a sheet of paper and I'll begin."
The boys undertook their new task, and finished it by nine o'clock. I
should be glad to furnish a copy of Lemuel's letter, which was written
with brilliant disregard of grammatical rules; but unfortunately the
original, afterwards considerably revised in accordance with
suggestions from Walter, has not been preserved.
"I've a great mind to send my letter home, Walter," said Lemuel. "Father
expects me to write home every week, and this would save me some
trouble. Besides, he'd think I was getting on famously, to write home in
Latin."
"Yes, if he didn't find out the mistakes."
"That's the rub. He'd show it to the minister the first time he called,
and then my blunders would be detected. I guess I'd better wait till it
comes back from the doctor corrected."
"I expect to hear from home to-morrow," said Walter.
"Why to-morrow in particular? Do you generally get letters Thursday?"
"No, my letters generally come on Saturday, and I answer them Sunday.
But to-morrow is my birthday."
"Is it? Let me be the first to congratulate you. How venerable will you
be?"
"As venerable as most boys of fifteen, Lem."
"You're three months older than I am, then. Do you expect a present?"
"I haven't thought much about it, but I don't believe father will forget
me."
"Can't you guess what you are likely to get?"
"I can guess, but I may not be right. Father promised to give me a gold
watch-chain some time. You know I have a gold watch already."
"Yes, and a regular little beauty."
"So it wouldn't surprise me much to get a chain for a present."
"You're a lucky boy. My watch is silver, and only cost twenty dollars."
"I dare say I should be just as happy with a silver watch, Lem."
"I suppose you wouldn't like to buy, would you? If so, I'll give you the
chance. A fair exchange is no robbery."
"No, I suppose not; but it wouldn't do to exchange a gift."
"Perhaps, if my watch were gold and yours silver, you wouldn't have any
objections."
"I don't think that would alter the case with me. A gift is a gift,
whether it is more or less valuable."
"How long have you had your watch, Walter?"
"Ever since my thirteenth birthday."
"I have had mine a year. I broke the crystal and one of the hands the
very first day."
"That was pretty hard usage, Lem."
"The watch had a pretty good constitution, so it has survived to the
present day. But I'm getting sleepy, Walter. It's the hard study, I
suppose, that's done it. I must be getting back to Ma'am Glenn's.
Good-night."
"Good-night, Lem."
Lemuel Warner gathered up his books, and left the room. Walter poked the
fire, putting some ashes on, so that it would keep till the next
morning, and commenced undressing. He had scarcely commenced, however,
when a heavy step was heard on the stairs, and directly afterwards a
knock resounded upon his door.
Wondering who his late visitor could be, Walter stepped to the door, and
opened it.