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Robert Coverdale's Struggle; or, On The Wave Of Success, a novel by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 11. A Friend Goes To The Rescue |
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_ CHAPTER XI. A FRIEND GOES TO THE RESCUE Leaving Robert for a time, we will accompany George Randolph on his homeward trip. George did not at all enjoy the plain speaking he had heard from Robert. The more he thought of it the more his pride was outraged and the more deeply he was incensed. "The low-lived fellow!" he exclaimed as he was rowing home. "I never heard of such impudence before. He actually seemed to think that I would take as a passenger a common fisherman's boy. I haven't sunk as low as that." George was brought up to have a high opinion of himself and his position. He really thought that he was made of a different sort of clay than the poor boys with whom he was brought in contact, and his foolish parents encouraged him in this foolish belief. Probably he would have been very much shocked if it had become known that his own grandfather was an honest mechanic, who was compelled to live in a very humble way. George chose to forget this or to keep it out of sight, as it might have embarrassed him when he was making his high social pretensions. Falsely trained as he had been, and with a strong tendency to selfishness, George had no difficulty in persuading himself that he had done exactly right in rebuking the forwardness of his humble acquaintance. "He isn't fit to associate with a gentleman," he said to himself. "What business is it of mine that he has to stay on the island all night? If his uncle left him there, I dare say he deserved it." George did not immediately land when he reached the beach, but floated here and there at will, enjoying the delightful sea breeze which set in from seaward. At length, however, he became tired and landed. The boat did not belong to him, but was hired of a fisherman living near by, who had an extra boat. The owner of the boat was on hand when George landed. He was, though a fisherman, a man of good, sound common sense, who read a good deal in his leisure moments and was therefore well informed. Like many other New England men of low position, he was superior to his humble station and was capable of acquitting himself creditably in a much higher sphere. It is from persons of his class that our prominent men are often recruited. It may be mentioned here that, though George's father, as he liked to boast, was a rich man, the boy himself was very mean in money matters and seldom willing to pay a fair price for anything. He was not above driving a close bargain, and to save five cents would dispute for half an hour. "So you've got back young man?" said Ben Bence, the fisherman. "Did you have a pleasant trip?" "Quite fair," answered George in a patronizing tone. "I rowed over to Egg Island and back." "That's doing very well for a city boy," said the fisherman. "I should think it was good for any boy or man either," said George, annoyed at this depreciation of his great achievement. Bence laughed. "Why," said he, "I'm out for four or five hours sometimes. I don't think anything of rowing from fifteen to twenty miles, while you have rowed only six." "I don't expect to row as far as a man," said George, rather taken down. "The best rower round here among the boys is Bob Coverdaie," said the fisherman. "What can he do?" asked George with a sneer. "He can row ten miles without feeling it," said Bence. "Does he say so?" asked George in a meaning tone. "No, but I have seen him do it. He's been out with me more than once. He's a muscular boy, Bob is. Do you know him?" "I have seen him," answered George distantly. "He's a great chum of your cousin, Herbert Irving," said Bence, "and so I thought you might have met him." This subject was not to George's taste, and he proceeded to change it. "Well, my good man," he said patronizingly, "how much do I owe you?" "So I am your good man?" repeated Ben Bence with an amused smile. "I am much obliged to you, I am sure. Well, you were gone about two hours, I reckon." "I don't think it was quite as much as that," said George. "I guess twenty-five cents will about pay me." "Twenty-five cents!" repeated George, all his meanness asserting itself. "I think that is a very high price!" "Did you expect to get the boat for nothing?" asked the fisherman, surprised. "Of course not. I wouldn't be beholden to a fisherman," George said haughtily. "Indeed! How much did you calculate to pay?" "I think twenty cents is enough." "Then the only difference between us is five cents?" "Yes." "Then you can pay me twenty cents. I can live without the extra five cents." George, pleased at gaining his point, put two ten-cent pieces in the hands of the owner of the boat, saying: "I don't care about the five cents, of course, but I don't like to pay too much." "I understand, Master Randolph," said the fisherman with a quizzical smile. "In your position, of course, you need to be economical." "What do you mean?" asked George with a flushed face. "Oh, nothing!" answered Ben Bence, smiling. The smile made George uncomfortable. Was it possible that this common fisherman was laughing at him? But, of course, that did not matter, and he had saved his five cents. George got home in time for supper, but it was not till after supper that he mentioned to Herbert: "I saw that young fisherman this afternoon." "What young fisherman?" "The one you played croquet with this morning." "Oh, Bob Coverdale! Where did you see him?" asked Herbert with interest. "On Egg Island." "How came he there?" inquired Herbert, rather surprised. "He went there in a boat with his uncle. I expect he's there now." "Why should he stay over there so long?" "It's a rich joke," said George, laughing. "It seems his uncle was mad with him and landed him there as a punishment. He's got to stay there all night." "I don't see anything so very amusing in that," said Herbert, who was now thoroughly interested. "He wanted me to take him off," proceeded George. "He was trying to build a raft. I told him he'd better keep at it." If George had watched the countenance of his cousin he would have seen that Herbert was very angry, but he was so amused by the thought of Robert's perplexity that he did not notice. "Do you mean to say that you refused to take him off?" demanded Herbert in a quick, stern tone that arrested George's attention. "Of course I did! What claim had he on me?" "And you deliberately left him there, when it would have been no trouble to give him a passage back?" "Really, Herbert, I don't like your way of speaking. It was my boat--or, at least, I was paying for the use of it--and I didn't choose to take him as a passenger." "George Randolph, do you want to know my opinion of you?" asked Herbert hotly. "What do you mean?" stammered George. "I mean this, that I am ashamed of you. You are the most contemptibly mean fellow I ever met, and I am heartily sorry there is any relationship between us." "I consider that an insult!" exclaimed George, pale with anger. "I am glad you do. I mean it as such. Just tell my mother I won't be back till late in the evening." "Where are you going?" "I am going to get a boat and row to Egg Island for Bob Coverdale," and Herbert dashed up the street in the direction of the beach. "He must be crazy!" muttered George, looking after his cousin. Herbert Irving reached the beach and sought out Ben Bence. "Mr. Bence," he said, "I want to go to Egg Island. If you can spare the time, come with me and I'll pay you for your time." "What are you going for, Master Herbert?" Upon this Herbert explained the object of his trip. "Now, will you go?" he asked. "Yes," answered the fisherman heartily, "I'll go and won't charge you a cent for the boat or my time. Bob Coverdale's a favorite of mine, and I'm sorry his uncle treats him so badly." Strong, sturdy strokes soon brought them to the island. "Bob! Where are you. Bob?" called Herbert. There was no answer. The island was so small that he would have been seen if he had been there. "He must have got off," said Herbert. "George said he was building a raft." "Then I mistrust something's happened to the poor boy," said Bence gravely. "He couldn't build a raft here that would hold together till he reached the mainland." Herbert turned pale. "I hope it isn't so bad as that," he said. "Let us row back as quick as we can!" _ |
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