Joe the Hotel Boy; Or, Winning out by Pluck by Pluck by Jr. Horatio Alger (novels to read .txt) ๐
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- Author: Pluck by Jr. Horatio Alger
Read book online ยซJoe the Hotel Boy; Or, Winning out by Pluck by Pluck by Jr. Horatio Alger (novels to read .txt) ๐ยป. Author - Pluck by Jr. Horatio Alger
โI can't tell you, Ned. The papers are too badly burnt.โ
โLet me look at them.โ
Our hero was willing, and the two boys spent an hour in trying to decipher the documents.
โIt is certainly a puzzle,โ said the rich boy. โWhy not let my father look over them?โ
Joe was willing, and after wrapping up the documents with care, and pocketing the hundred dollars in gold, Joe led the way back to the boat. The wreck of the blue box was left behind, for it was rusty and worthless.
That evening Mr. Talmadge, Ned and Joe spent two hours in going over the documents and trying to supply the parts which had been rotted or burnt away. They were only successful in part.
โI do not wish to say much about this, Joe,โ said Ned's father. โBut it would seem from these papers that you are the son of one William A. Bodley, who at one time owned a farm in Iowa, in the township of Millville. Did you ever hear Hiram Bodley speak of this?โ
โNever.โ
โWe might write to the authorities at Millville and see what they have to say.โ
โI wish you'd do it. They may pay more attention to you than to a boy.โ
โI'll write at once.โ
โFather, hadn't Joe better stay here until we get a reply?โ put in Ned.
โHe may do so and welcome,โ answered Mr. Talmadge.
The letter was dispatched the next day and our hero waited anxiously for the reply. It came five days later and was as follows:
โYour letter of inquiry received. There was a William A. Bodley in this township twelve years ago. He sold his farm to a man named Augustus Greggs and then disappeared. Before he sold out he lost his wife and several children by sickness. Nobody here seems to know what became of him.
โJoseph Korn.โ
โThat is short and to the point,โ said Mr. Talmadge, โbut it is not satisfying. It does not state if this William A. Bodley had any relatives so far as known.โ
โI guess the authorities did not want to bother about the matter,โ said Joe.
โWhy don't you visit Millville, Joe?โ questioned Ned.
โI was thinking I could do that. It wouldn't cost a fortune, and I've got that hundred dollars in gold to fall back on, besides my regular savings.โ
โYou might learn something to your advantage,โ came from Mr. Talmadge. โI think it would be money well spent.โ
โFather, can't I go with Joe?โ asked Ned.
โNo, Ned, you must attend to your school duties.โ
โThen, Joe, you must send me full particulars by mail,โ said the rich boy.
โOf course I'll do that, Ned,โ replied our hero.
It was arranged that Joe should leave Riverside on Monday and Ned went to the depot to see him off.
โI wish you the best of luck, Joe!โ called out Ned, as the train left the station. โI don't know of a fellow who deserves better luck than you do!โ
CHAPTER XXV.
JOE VISITS CHICAGO.
Joe found Millville a sleepy town of three or four hundred inhabitants. There was one main street containing two blocks of stores, a blacksmith shop, a creamery and two churches.
When he stepped off the train our hero was eyed sharply by the loungers about the platform.
โAnything I can' do for you?โ asked one of the men, the driver of the local stage.
โWill you tell me where Mr. Joseph Korn lives?โ
โJoe lives up in the brown house yonder. But he ain't home now. He's doing a job of carpentering.โ
โCan you tell me where?โ
โUp to the Widow Fallow's place. Take you there for ten cents.โ
โVery well,โ and our hero jumped into the rickety turnout which went by the name of the Millville stage.
The drive was not a long one and soon they came to a halt in front of a residence where a man wearing a carpenter's apron was mending a broken-down porch.
โThere's Joe,โ said the stage driver, laconically.
The man looked up in wonder when Joe approached him. He dropped his hammer and stood with his arms on his hips.
โThis is Mr. Joseph Korn, I believe?โ
โThat's me, young man.โ
โI am Joe Bodley. You wrote to Mr. Talmadge, of Riverside, a few days ago. I came on to find out what I could about a Mr. William A. Bodley who used to live here.โ
โOh, yes! Well, young man, I can't tell you much more 'n I did in that letter. Bodley sold out, house, goods and everything, and left for parts unknown.โ
โDid he have any relatives around here?โ
โNot when he left. He had a wife and three childrenโa girl and two boysโbut they died.โ
โDid you ever hear of any relatives coming to see himโa man named Hiram Bodley?โ
โNot meโbut Augustus Greggsโwho bought his farmโmight know about it.โ
โI'll take you to the Greggs' farm for ten cents,โ put in the stage driver.
Again a bargain was struck, and a drive of ten minutes brought them to the farm, located on the outskirts of Millville. They found the farm owner at work by his wood pile, sawing wood. He was a pleasant appearing individual.
โCome into the house,โ he said putting down his saw. โI'm glad to see you,โ and when our hero had entered the little farmhouse he was introduced to Mrs. Greggs and two grown-up sons, all of whom made him feel thoroughly at home.
โTo tell the truth,โ said Mr. Greggs, โI did not know William Bodley very well. I came here looking for a farm and heard this was for sale, and struck a bargain with him.โ
โWas he alone at that time?โ questioned Joe.
โHe was, and his trouble seemed to have made him a bit queerโnot but what
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