Paul the Peddler; Or, The Fortunes of a Young Street Merchant by Jr. Horatio Alger (best finance books of all time TXT) ๐
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- Author: Jr. Horatio Alger
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The contest was brief, being terminated by the sudden and unwelcome arrival of a policeman.
โWhat's this?โ he asked authoritatively, surveying the combatants; Paul, with his flushed face, and Mike, whose nose was bleeding freely from a successful blow of his adversary.
โHe pitched into me for nothin',โ said Mike, glaring at Paul, and rubbing his bloody nose on the sleeve of his ragged coat.
โThat isn't true,โ said Paul, excitedly. โHe came up while I was selling prize packages of candy in front of the post office, and pulled my hat over my eyes, while another boy grabbed my basket.โ
โYou lie!โ said Mike. โI don't know nothin' of your basket.โ
โWhy did you pull his hat over his eyes?โ asked the policeman.
โBecause he insulted me.โ
โHow did he insult you?โ
โHe wouldn't trust me till to-morrow.โ
โI don't blame him much for that,โ said the policeman, who was aware of Mike's shady reputation, having on a former occasion been under the necessity of arresting him. Even without such acquaintance, Mike's general appearance would hardly have recommended him to Officer Jones.
โI'll let you go this time,โ he said, โbut if I catch you fighting again on my beat I'll march you off to the station-house.โ
Mike was glad to escape, though he would almost have been willing to be arrested if Paul could have been arrested also.
The officer walked away, and Mike started down the street.
Paul followed him.
That didn't suit Mike's ideas, as he was anxious to meet Jim and divide the spoils with him.
โWhat are you follerin' me for?โ he demanded, angrily.
โI have my reasons,โ said Paul.
โThen you'd better stay where you are. Your company ain't wanted.โ
โI know that,โ said Paul, โbut I'm going to follow you till I find my basket.โ
โWhat do I know of your basket?โ
โThat's what I want to find out.โ
Mike saw, by Paul's resolute tone, that he meant what he said. Desirous of shaking him of, he started on a run.
CHAPTER VI PAUL AS AN ARTIST
Paul was not slow in following Mike. He was a good runner, and would have had no difficulty in keeping up with his enemy if the streets had been empty. But to thread his way in and out among the numerous foot passengers that thronged the sidewalks was not so easy. He kept up pretty well, however, until, in turning a street corner, he ran at full speed into a very stout gentleman, whose scanty wind was quite knocked out of him by the collision. He glared in anger at Paul, but could not at first obtain breath enough to speak.
โI beg your pardon, sir,โ said Paul, who, in spite of his desire to overtake Mike, felt it incumbent upon him to stop and offer an apology.
โWhat do you mean, sir,โ exploded the fat man, at last, โby tearing through the streets like a locomotive? You've nearly killed me.โ
โI am very sorry, sir.โ
โYou ought to be. Don't you know better than to run at such speed? You ought to be indicted as a public nuisance.
โI was trying to catch a thief,โ said Paul.
โTrying to catch a thief? How's that?โ asked the stout gentleman, his indignation giving way to curiosity.
โI was selling packages in front of the post office when he and another boy came up and stole my basket.โ
โIndeed! What were you selling?โ
โPrize packages, sir.โ
โWhat was in them?โ
โCandy.โ
โCould you make much that way?โ
โAbout a dollar a day.โ
โI'd rather have given you a dollar than had you run against me with such violence. I feel it yet.โ
โIndeed, sir, I'm very sorry.โ
โWell, I'll forgive you, under the circumstances. What's your name?โ
โPaul Hoffman.โ
โWell, I hope you'll get back your basket. Some time, if you see me in the street, come up and let me know. Would you know me again?โ
โI think I should, sir.โ
โWell, good-morning. I hope you'll catch the thief.โ
โI thank you, sir.โ
They parted company, but Paul did not continue the pursuit. The conversation in which he had taken part had lasted so long that Mike had had plenty of time to find a refuge, and there would be no use in following him.
So Paul went home.
โYou are home early, Paul,โ said his mother. โSurely you haven't sold out by this time.โ
โNo, but all my packages are gone.โ
โHow is that?โ
โThey were stolen.โ
โTell me about it.โ
So Paul told the story.
โThat Mike was awful mean,โ said Jimmy, indignantly. โI'd like to hit him.โ
โI don't think you would hurt him much, Jimmy,โ said Paul, amused at his little brother's vehemence.
โThen I wish I was a big, strong boy,โ said Jimmy.
โI hope you will be, some time.โ
โHow much was your loss, Paul?โ asked his mother.
โThere were nearly forty packages. They cost me about a dollar, but if I had sold them all they would have brought me in twice as much. I had only sold ten packages.โ
โShall you make some more?โ
โNo, I think not,โ said Paul. โI've got tired of the business. It's getting poorer every day. I'll go out after dinner, and see if I can't find something else to do.โ
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