TONY STARTS OUT ONCE MORE.
It was not until after Rudolph's seizure that Ben, who had followed the
extemporized police, discovered the bags of gold in the hands of the
tramp.
"Give me my money!" he shrieked, in excitement and anguish. "Don't let
him carry it off."
"It's safe, Ben," said one of the captors. "But who would have supposed
you had so much money?"
"It isn't much," faltered the old man.
"The bags are pretty heavy," was the significant rejoinder. "Will you
take two hundred dollars apiece for them?"
"No," said the old man, embarrassed.
"Then it seems there is considerable after all. But never mind. Take
them, and take better care of them hereafter."
Ben advanced with as much alacrity as he could summon in his weakness,
and stooped to pick up the bags. He had got hold of them when the
tramp, whose feet were unconfined, aimed a kick at him which completely
upset him.
Even though he fell, however, he did not lose his grip of the bags, but
clung to them while crying with pain.
"Take that, you old fool!" muttered the tramp. "It's the first
instalment of the debt I owe you."
"Take him away, take him away! He will murder me!" exclaimed old Ben,
in terror.
"Come along. You've done mischief enough," said his captors, sternly,
forcing the tramp along.
"I'll do more yet," muttered Rudolph.
He turned to Tony, who stood at a little distance watching the fate of
his quondam companion.
"I've got a score to settle with you, young traitor. The day will come
for that yet."
"I'm sorry for you, Rudolph," said Tony; "but you brought it on
yourself."
"Bah! you hypocrite!" retorted the tramp. "I don't want any of your
sorrow. It won't save you when the day of reckoning comes."
He was not allowed to say more, but was hurried away to the village
lockup for detention until he could be conveyed to more permanent
quarters.
Doctor Compton was among the party who had been summoned by Tony. He
lingered behind, and took Ben apart.
"Mr. Hayden," he said, "I want to give you a piece of advice."
"What is it?" asked the old man.
"Don't keep this gold in your house. It isn't safe."
"Who do you think will take it?" asked Ben, with a scared look.
"None of those here this morning, unless this tramp should escape from
custody."
"Do you think he will?" asked the old man, in terror.
"I think not; but he may."
"If he don't, what danger is there?"
"It will get about that you have money secreted here, and I venture to
say it will be stolen before three months are over."
"It will kill me," said Ben, piteously.
"Then put it out of reach of danger."
"Where?"
"I am going over to the county town, where there is a bank. Deposit it
there, and whenever you want any, go and get it."
"But banks break sometimes," said Ben, in alarm.
"This is an old, established institution. You need not be afraid of it.
Even if there is some danger, there is far less than here."
"But I can't see the money--I can't count it," objected Ben.
"You can see the deposit record in a book. Even if that doesn't suit
you as well, you can sleep comfortably, knowing that you are not liable
to be attacked and murdered by burglars."
The old man vacillated, but finally yielded to the force of the
doctor's reasoning. A day or two later he rode over to the neighboring
town, and saw his precious gold deposited in the vaults of the bank.
He heaved a sigh as it was locked up, but on the whole was tolerably
reconciled to the step he had taken.
We are anticipating, however.
When the confusion incident to the arrest was over, Tony came forward.
"Mr. Hayden," he said, "you are so much better that I think you can
spare me now."
"But," said the old man, startled at the boy's question, "suppose
Rudolph comes back."
"I don't think he can. He will be put in prison."
"I suppose he will. What a bold, bad man."
"Yes, he is a bad man, but I am sorry for him. I don't like to think
of one I have been with so long in the walls of a prison. I suppose it
can't be helped, though."
"How did you come to be with him?" asked the old man, in a tone of
interest.
"I don't know. I have been with him as long as I can remember. You used
to know him, didn't you?"
"A little," said the old man, hastily.
"Where was it?"
"In England--long ago."
"In England. Was he born in England?" asked Tony, in surprise.
"Yes."
"And you, too?"
"Yes, I am an Englishman."
"Do you think I am English, too?" asked the boy, eagerly.
"I think so; yes, I think so," answered Ben, cautiously.
"Have you any idea who I am--who were my parents?"
"No, I don't know," said Ben, slowly.
"Can you guess?"
"Don't trouble me now," said Ben, peevishly. "I am not well. My head is
confused. Some day I will think it over and tell you what I know."
"But if I am not here?"
"I will write it down and give it to the doctor."
"That will do," said Tony. "I know he will keep it for me. Now,
good-by."
"Are you going?"
"Yes, I have my own way to make in the world. I can't live on you any
longer."
"To be sure not," said Ben, hastily. "I am too poor to feed two
persons, and you have a very large appetite."
"Yes," said Tony, laughing, "I believe I have a healthy appetite. I'm
growing, you know."
"It must be that," said old Ben, with the air of one to whom a mystery
had just been made clear. "What is your name?"
"Tony," answered our hero, in surprise at the question.
"No. I mean your full name."
"That is more than I know. I have always been called Tony, or Tony the
Tramp. Rudolph's last name is Rugg, and he pretends that I am his son.
If I were, I should be Tony Rugg."
"You are not his son. He never had any son."
"I am glad to hear that. I shan't have to say now that my father is in
jail for robbery. Good-by, Mr. Hayden."
"Good-by," said Ben, following the boy thoughtfully with his eyes till
he had disappeared round a turn in the road.
"Well," thought Tony, "I've set up for myself now in earnest. Rudolph
can't pursue me, and there is no one else to interfere with me. I must
see what fortune waits me in the great world."
With a light heart, and a pocket still lighter, Tony walked on for
several miles. Then he stopped at a country grocery store, and bought
five cents worth of crackers. These he ate with a good appetite,
slaking his thirst at a wayside spring.
He was lying carelessly on the green sward, when a tin peddler's cart
drove slowly along the road.
"Hallo, there!" said the peddler.
"Hallo!" said Tony.
"Are you travelin'?"
"Yes."
"Do you want a lift?"
"Yes," said Tony, with alacrity.
"Then get up here. There's room enough for both of us. You can hold the
reins when I stop anywhere."
"It's a bargain," said Tony.
"Are you travelin' for pleasure?" asked the peddler, who was gifted
with his share of curiosity.
"On business," said Tony.
"What is your business? You're too young for an agent."
"I want to find work," said Tony.
"You're a good, stout youngster. You'd ought to get something to do."
"So I think," said Tony.
"Ever worked any?"
"No."
"Got any folks?"
"If you mean wife and children, I haven't," answered our hero, with a
smile.
"Ho, ho!" laughed the peddler. "I guess not. I mean father or mother,
uncles or aunts, and such like."
"No, I am alone in the world."
"Sho! you don't say so. Well, that's a pity. Why, I've got forty-'leven
cousins and a mother-in-law to boot. I'll sell her cheap."
"Never mind!" said Tony. "I won't deprive you of her."
"I'll tell you what," said the peddler, "I feel interested in you. I'll
take you round with me for a day or two, and maybe I can get you a
place. What do you say?"
"Yes, and thank you," said Tony.
"Then it's settled. Gee up, Dobbin!"