"Alger Jr, Horatio - Joe the Hotel Boy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

"The blue box?" came from Joe questioningly.

"Yes, Joe, all in the blue box--the papers and the money--And the
blue box is--is--" Again the sufferer began to cough. "I--I want
water!" he gasped.

The water was brought and he took a gulp. Then he tried to speak
again, but the effort was in vain. The doctor and Joe raised him
up.

"Uncle Hiram! Speak to me!" cried the boy.

But Hiram Bodley was past speaking. He had passed to the Great
Beyond.



CHAPTER IV.


THE SEARCH FOR THE BLUE BOX.


Three days after his tragic death Hiram Bodley was buried.
Although he was fairly well known in the lake region only a
handful of people came to his funeral. Joe was the chief
mourner, and it can honestly be said that he was much downcast
when he followed the hermit to his last resting place.

After the funeral several asked Joe what he intended to do. He
could not answer the question.

"Have you found that blue box?" questioned Doctor Gardner.

"No, sir, I have not thought of it."

"Probably it contains money and papers of value, Joe."

"I am going to look for it to-day," said the boy. "I--I couldn't
look for it while-- while--"

"I understand. Well, I trust you locate the box and that it
contains all you hope for," added the physician.

As luck would have it, Ned Talmadge's family had just gone away
on a trip to the West, so Mr. Talmadge could offer the boy no
assistance. But Ned was on hand and did what he could.

"You don't know what you'll do next, do you, Joe?" asked Ned, as