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

"They may not be persons that we would care to meet, Ned. You
know there are some undesirable characters about the lake."

"That's true."

Not far off was a narrow window, the panes of glass of which had
long since been broken out. Moving toward this, Joe peered into
the apartment beyond.

Close to an old fireplace, in which a few sticks of half-green
timber were burning, sat two men. Both were well dressed, and
Joe rightfully surmised that they were from the city. Each wore
a hunting outfit and had a gun, but neither had any game.

"We came on a wild-goose chase," grumbled one, as he stirred the
fire. "Got nothing but a soaking for our pains."

"Never mind, Malone," returned the other, who was evidently the
better educated of the two. "As we had to make ourselves scarce
in the city this was as good a place to come to as any."

"Don't you think they'll look for us here?"

"Why should they? We were sharp enough not to leave any trail
behind--at least, I was."

"Reckon I was just as sharp, Caven."

"You had to be--otherwise you would have been nabbed." Gaff
Caven chuckled to himself. "We outwitted them nicely, I must
say. We deserve credit."

"I've spent more than half of what I got out of the deal," went
on Pat Malone, for such was the full name of one of the speakers.

"I've spent more than that. But never mind, my boy, fortune will
favor us again in the near future."

A crash of thunder drowned out the conversation following, and
Joe hurried back to where he had left Ned.

"Well, have you found out who they are?" demanded the rich youth,
impatiently.

"No, Ned, but I am sure of one thing."

"What is that?"

"They are two bad men."