paul the peddler-第15章

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On　the　whole；　though　the　shirt　fitted　him　too　much；　as　he

expressed　it；　he　regarded　himself　complacently。



The　superabundant　material　gave　the　impression　of　liberal

expenditure　and　easy　circumstances；　since　a　large　shirt　naturally

costs　more　than　a　small　one。　　So　Jerry；　as　he　walked　along　the

Bowery；　assumed　a　jaunty　air；　precisely　such　as　some　of　my

readers　may　when　they　have　a　new　suit　to　display。　　His　new　shirt

was　quite　conspicuous；　since　he　was　encumbered　neither　with　vest

nor　coat。



Mike；　feeling　sore　over　his　defeat；　met　Jerry　the　next　morning　on

Chatham　street。　　His　quick　eye　detected　the　improved　state　of　his

friend's　apparel；　and　his　indignation　rose；　as　he　reflected　that

Jerry　had　pocketed　the　profits　while　the　hard　knocks　had　been

his。



〃Jerry！〃　　he　called　out。



Jerry　did　not　see　fit　to　heed　the　call。　　He　was　sensible　that

Mike　had　something　to　complain　of；　and　he　was　in　no　hurry　to　meet

his　reproaches。



〃Jerry　McGaverty！〃　　called　Mike；　coming　near。



〃Oh；　it's　you；　Mike；　is　it？〃　answered　Jerry；　unable　longer　to

keep　up　the　pretense　of　not　hearing。



〃Yes；　it's　me；〃　said　Mike。　　〃What　made　you　leave　me　for　last

night？〃



〃I　didn't　want　to　interfere　betwane　two　gintlemen；〃　said　Jerry；

with　a　grin。　　〃Did　you　mash　him；　Mike？〃



〃No；〃　said　Mike；　sullenly；　〃he　mashed　me。　　Why　didn't　you　help

me？〃



〃I　thought　you　was　bating　him；　so；　as　I　had　some　business　to

attind　to；　I　went　away。〃



〃You　went　away　wid　the　shirt。〃



〃Yes；　I　took　it　by　mistake。　　Ain't　it　an　illigant　fit？〃



〃It's　big　enough　for　two　of　you。〃



〃Maybe　I'll　grow　to　it　in　time；〃　said　Jerry。



〃And　how　much　are　you　goin'　to　give　me　for　my　share？〃　demanded

Mike。



〃Say　that　ag'in；〃　said　Jerry。



Mike　repeated　it。



〃I　thought　maybe　I　didn't　hear　straight。　　It　ain't　yours　at　all。　

Didn't　I　take　it？〃



〃You　wouldn't　have　got　it　if　I　hadn't　fit　with　Paul。〃



〃That　ain't　nothin'　to　me；〃　said　Jerry。　　〃The　shirt's　mine；　and

I'll　kape　it。〃



Mike　felt　strongly　tempted　to　〃put　a　head　on〃　Jerry；　whatever

that　may　mean；　but；　as　Jerry　was　a　head　taller　already；　the

attempt　did　not　seem　quite　prudent。　　He　indulged　in　some　forcible

remarks；　which；　however；　did　not　disturb　Jerry's　equanimity。



〃I'll　give　you　my　old　shirt；　Mike；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　can　find　it。



I　left　it　in　an　alley　near　the　Old　Bowery。〃



〃I　don't　want　the　dirty　rag；〃　said　Mike；　contemptuously。



Finally　a　compromise　was　effected；　Jerry　offering　to　help　Mike　on

the　next　occasion；　and　leave　the　spoils　in　his　hands。



I　have　to　chronicle　another　adventure　of　Jerry's；　in　which　he　was

less　fortunate　than　he　had　been　in　the　present　case。　　He　was　a

genuine　vagabond；　and　lived　by　his　wits；　being　too　lazy　to　devote

himself　to　any　regular　street　employment；　as　boot　blacking　or

selling　newspapers。　　Occasionally　he　did　a　little　work　at　each　of

these；　but　regular；　persistent　industry　was　out　of　his　line。　　He

was　a　drone　by　inclination；　and　a　decided　enemy　to　work。　　On　the

subject　of　honesty　his　principles　were　far　from　strict。　　If　he

could　appropriate　what　did　not　belong　to　him　he　was　ready　to　do

so　without　scruple。　　This　propensity　had　several　times　brought

him　into　trouble；　and　he　had　more　than　once　been　sent　to　reside

temporarily　on　Blackwell's　Island；　from　which　he　had　returned　by

no　means　improved。



Mike　was　not　quite　so　much　of　a　vagabond　as　his　companion。　　He

could　work　at　times；　though　he　did　not　like　it；　and　once　pursued

the　vocation　of　a　bootblack　for　several　months　with　fair　success。



But　Jerry's　companionship　was　doing　him　no　good；　and　it　seemed

likely　that　eventually　he　would　become　quite　as　shiftless　as

Jerry　himself。



Jerry；　having　no　breakfast；　strolled　down　to　one　of　the　city

markets。　　He　frequently　found　an　opportunity　of　stealing　here；

and　was　now　in　search　of　such　a　chance。　　He　was　a　dexterous　and

experienced　barrel　thief；　a　term　which　it　may　be　necessary　to

explain。　　Barrels；　then；　have　a　commercial　value；　and　coopers

will　generally　pay　twenty…five　cents　for　one　in　good　condition。　

This　is　enough；　in　the　eyes　of　many　a　young　vagabond；　to　pay　for

the　risk　incurred　in　stealing　one。



Jerry　prowled　round　the　market　for　some　time；　seeking　a　good

opportunity　to　walk　off　with　an　apple　or　banana；　or　something

eatable。　　But　the　guardians　of　the　stands　seemed　unusually

vigilant；　and　he　was　compelled　to　give　up　the　attempt；　as

involving　too　great　risk。　　Jerry　was　hungry；　and　hunger　is　an

uncomfortable　feeling。　　He　began　to　wish　he　had　remained

satisfied　with　his　old　shirt；　dirty　as　it　was；　and　carried　the

new　one　to　some　of　the　Baxter　street　dealers；　from　whom　he　could

perhaps　have　got　fifty　cents　for　it。　　Now；　fifty　cents　would　have

paid　for　a　breakfast　and　a　couple　of　cigars；　and　those　just　now

would　have　made　Jerry　happy。



〃What　a　fool　I　was　not　to　think　of　it！〃　he　said。　　〃The　old　shirt

would　do　me；　and　I　could　buy　a　bully　breakfast　wid　the　money　I'd

get　for　this。〃



Just　at　this　moment　he　espied　an　empty　barrela　barrel

apparently　quite　new　and　in　an　unguarded　position。　　He　resolved

to　take　it；　but　the　affair　must　be　managed　slyly。



He　lounged　up　to　the　barrel；　and　leaned　upon　it　indolently。　

Then；　in　apparent　unconsciousness；　he　began　to　turn　it；　gradually

changing　its　position。　　If　observed；　he　could　easily　deny　all

felonious　intentions。　　This　he　kept　up　till　he　got　round　the

corner；　when；　glancing　around　to　see　if　he　was　observed；　he

quickly　lifted　it　on　his　shoulder　and　marched　off。



All　this　happened　without　his　being　observed　by　the　owner　of　the

barrel。　　But　a　policeman；　who　chanced　to　be　going　his　rounds；　had

been　a　witness　of　Jerry's　little　game。　　He　remained　quiet　till

Jerry's　intentions　became　evident；　then　walked　quietly　up　and　put

his　hand　on　his　shoulder。



〃Put　down　that　barrel！〃　　he　said；　authoritatively。



Jerry　had　been　indulging　in　visions　of　the　breakfast　he　would　get

with　the　twenty…five　cents　he　expected　to　obtain　for　the　barrel；

and　the　interruption　was　not　an　agreeable　one。　　But　he　determined

to　brazen　it　out　if　possible。



〃What　for　will　I　put　it　down？〃　he　said。



〃Because　you　have　stolen　it；　that's　why。〃



〃No；〃　said　Jerry；　〃I'm　carrying　it　round　to　my　boss。　　It's　his。〃



〃Where　do　you　work？〃



〃In　Fourth　street；〃　said　Jerry；　at　random。



〃What　number？〃



〃No。　136。〃



〃Then　your　boss　will　have　to　get　some　one　in　your　place；　for　you

will　have　to　come　with　me。〃



〃What　for？〃



〃I　saw　you　steal　the　barrel。　　You're　a　barrel　thief；　and　this

isn't　the　first　time　you've　been　caught　at　it。　　Carry　back　the

barrel　to　the　place　you　took　it　from　and　then　come　with　me。〃



Jerry　tried　to　beg　off；　but　without　avail。



At　that　moment　Mike　Donovan　lounged　up。　　When　he　saw　his　friend

in　custody；　he　felt　a　degree　of　satisfaction；　remembering　the

trick　Jerry　had　played　on　him。



〃Where　are　you　goin'；　Jerry？〃　he　asked；　with　a　grin；　as　he

passed　him。　　〃Did　ye　buy　that　barrel　to　kape　your　shirt　in？〃



Jerry　scowled　but　thought　it　best　not　to　answer；　lest　his

unlawful　possession　of　the　shirt　might　also　be　discovered；　and

lead　to　a　longer　sentence。



〃He's　goin'　down　to　the　island　to　show　his　new　shirt；〃　thought

Mike；　with　a　grin。　　〃Maybe　he'll　set　the　fashion　there。〃



Mike　was　right。　　Jerry　was　sent　to　the　island　for　two　months；

there　introducing　Mr。　Preston's　shirt　to　company　little　dreamed

of　by　its　original　proprietor。







CHAPTER　XIII



OUT　OF　BUSINESS



The　next　day　Mrs。　Hoffman　commenced　work　upon　Mr。　Preston's

shirts。　　She　worked　with　much　more　cheerfulness　now　that　she　was

sure　of　obtaining　a　liberal　price　for　her　labor。　　As　the　shirts

were　of　extra　size；　she　found　herself　unable　to　finish　one　in　a

day；　as　she　had　formerly　done；　but　had　no　difficulty　in　making

four　in　a　week。　　This；　however；　gave　her　five　dollars　weekly；

instead　of　a　dollar　a