"Alger Jr, Horatio - The Young Explorer" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

fifty dollars and board! What'll Mrs. Pitkin say when I tell her? She ain't much
sot on the boy's comin' anyway. She thinks he's too hearty; but I don't mind
that, so much. He's strong and good to work, an' he's the only boy in town that
would suit me."
"I wonder what the deacon thinks of me," soliloquized Ben. "I thought I should
scare him a little when I named my price. If I'd thought he would take me at
that figure, I'd have said more. It wouldn't suit me to work for him at all."
In the evening Deacon Pitkin came over to see Job Stanton, and renewed his offer
for Ben's services.
"The boy's got wild idees about pay," he said; "but boys haven't much jedgment.
You're a sensible man, Mr. Stanton, and you and me can make a fair bargain."
"It won't be of much use, Deacon Pitkin. Ben's got his idees, an' he sticks to
'em."
"But you're his uncle. You can make him see his true interest."
"Ben's young," said Job, suspending his work; "but he's got to look out for
himself. He may make mistakes, but I've promised not to interfere. I've got
confidence in him that he'll come out right in the end. Truth is, deacon, he
don't want to work at farmin', and that's why he asked you such a steep price.
He knew you wouldn't agree to give it."
This put the matter in a new light, and Deacon Pitkin reluctantly concluded that
he must abandon the idea of obtaining Ben as a helper on his farm.
CHAPTER III. SAM STURGIS' NEW IDEA.
During the week which Ben had agreed to take before coming to a final decision,
he had another offer of employment.
This is how it came about:
A little out of the village, in a handsome house, the best in Hampton, lived
Major Sturgis, a wealthy landholder, who had plenty to live upon and nothing in
particular to do, except to look after his property. He was a portly man, who
walked with a slow, dignified step, leaning on a gold-headed cane, and evidently
felt his importance. His son, Sam, was a chip of the old block. He condescended
to associate with the village boys, because solitary grandeur is not altogether
pleasant. He occasionally went to New York to visit a cousin of about his own
age. From such a visit he had just returned, bringing back with him a new idea.
"Father," he said, "Cousin Henry has a boy about his own age to wait on him,
black his boots, and run errands."
"Has he?" asked the major mechanically, not looking up from the daily paper
which he was reading.
"Yes, sir. He don't pay him much, you know, only five dollars a month and his
board, and Henry finds it very convenient."
Major Sturgis did not reply. In fact, he was too much interested in the article
he was reading.
"Ain't you as rich as uncle?" asked Sam, who was gradually leading up to his
proposal.
"Yes, Sam, I think so," answered his father, laying down the paper and removing
his gold-bowed spectacles.
"Then why won't you let me have a servant, too?"
"What do you want of a servant? There are servants enough in the house."
"I want a boy to follow me round, and do just what I bid him."
"I don't see any necessity for it."
"He could do errands for you, too, father," said Sam diplomatically.