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第4章

paul the peddler-第4章

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one。〃



〃More likely you'd get ten for one。  You're a humbug。〃



〃Have you really got any fifty…cent prizes?〃 asked a newsboy;

who had sold out his morning stock of papers; and was lounging

about the post office steps。



〃Best way is to buy; Johnny;〃 said Teddy。



The boy did buy; but his prize amounted to only one cent。



〃Didn't I tell you so?〃 said Paul。



〃Just wait a while and see;〃 said Teddy。  〃The lucky feller

hasn't come along。  Here; Mike; jest buy a package!〃



Mike; a boy of fifteen; produced five cents; and said; 〃I don't

mind if I do。〃



He selected a package; and; without opening it; slipped it into

his pocket。



〃Why don't you open it?〃 said Teddy。



〃What's the use?〃 said Mike。  〃There ain't no fifty cents

inside。〃



However; he drew it out of his pocket; and opened it。



〃What's this?〃 he exclaimed; pulling out a piece of scrip。 

〃Howly St。 Patrick!  it's I that's in luck; anyhow I've got the

fifty cents!〃



And he held up to view a fifty…cent scrip。



〃Let me look at it;〃 said Paul; incredulously。



But there was no room for doubt。  It was a genuine fifty cents;

as Paul was compelled to admit。



〃Didn't I tell you so?〃 said Teddy; triumphantly。  〃Here's where

you get fifty…cent prizes。〃



The appeal was successful。  The sight of the fifty…cent prize led

to a large call for packages; of which Teddy immediately sold

ten; while Paul found himself completely deserted。  None of the

ten; however; contained over two cents。  Still the possibility of

drawing fifty cents kept up the courage of buyers; while Paul's

inducements were so far inferior that he found himself wholly

distanced。



〃Don't you wish you'd gone pardners with me?〃 asked Teddy; with

a triumphant grin; noticing Paul's look of discomfiture。  〃You

can't do business alongside of me。〃



〃You can't make any money giving such big prizes;〃 said Paul。 

〃You haven't taken in as much as you've given yet。〃



〃All right;〃 said Teddy。  〃I'm satisfied if you are。  Have a

package; Jim?〃



〃Yes;〃 said Jim。  〃Mind you give me a good prize。〃



The package was bought; and; on being opened; proved to contain

fifty cents also; to Paul's great amazement。  How Teddy's

business could pay; as it was managed; he could not comprehend。 

One thing was certain; however; his new competitor monopolized

the trade; and for two hours Paul did not get a solitary

customer。



〃There's something about this I don't understand;〃 he pondered;

thoughtfully。  〃He must lose money; but he's spoiled my trade。〃



Paul did not like to give up his beat; but he found himself

compelled to。  Accordingly he took his basket; and moved off

toward Wall street。  Here he was able to start in business

without competitors; and succeeded in selling quite a number of

packages; until a boy came up; and said:



〃There's a feller up at the post office that's givin' fifty…cent

prizes。  I got one of 'em。〃



There was a group of half…a…dozen boys around Paul; two of whom

were about to invest; but on hearing thus they changed their

intention; and walked of in the direction of the post office。



Looking up; Paul saw that the boy who had injured his trade was

Mike; who had drawn the first fifty…cent prize from his

competitor。



〃Can't you stop interfering?〃 he said; angrily。  〃I've lost two

customers by you。〃



〃If you don't like it; you can lump it;〃 said Mike; insolently。 

〃This is a free country; ain't it?〃



〃It's a mean trick;〃 said Paul; indignantly。



〃Say that ag'in; and I'll upset your basket;〃 returned Mike。



〃I'll say it as often as I like;〃 said Paul; who wasn't troubled

by cowardice。  〃Come on; if you want to。〃



Mike advanced a step; doubling his fists; but; finding that Paul

showed no particular sign of fear; he stopped short; saying:

〃I'll lick you some other time。〃



〃You'd better put it off;〃 said Paul。  〃Have a prize package;

sir?  Only five cents!〃



This was addressed to a young man who came out of an insurance

office。



〃I don't mind if I do;〃 said the young man。  〃Five cents; is it? 

What prize may I expect?〃



〃The highest is ten cents。〃



〃There's a boy around the post office that gives fifty…cent

prizes; mister;〃 said Mike。  〃You'd better buy of him。〃



〃I'll wait till another time;〃 said the young man。  〃Here's the

money; Johnny。  Now for the package。〃



〃Look here;〃 said Paul; indignantly; when his customer had gone

away; 〃haven't you anything to do except to drive off my

customers?〃



〃Give me two cents on every package;〃 said Mike; 〃and I'll tell

'em you give dollar prizes。〃



〃That would be a lie; and I don't want to do business that way。〃



Mike continued his persecutions a while longer; and then turned

the corner into Nassau street。



〃I'm glad he's gone;〃 thought Paul。  〃Now there's a chance for

me。〃



He managed after a while to sell twenty of his packages。  By this

time it was twelve o'clock; and he began to feel hungry。  He

resolved; therefore; to go home to dinner and come out again in

the afternoon。  He didn't know how much he had made; but probably

about fifty cents。  He had made more than double as much the day

before in less time; but then he did not suffer from competition。



He began to doubt whether he could long pursue this business;

since other competitors were likely to spring up。



As he walked by the post office he had the curiosity to look and

see how his competitor was getting along。



Teddy had started; originally; with seventy…five packages; but of

those scarcely a dozen were left。  A group of boys were around

him。  Among them was Mike; who was just on the point of buying

another package。  As before; he put it in his pocket; and it was

not till Teddy asked; 〃What luck; Mike?〃 that he drew it out;

and opening it again; produced fifty cents。



〃It's the big prize!〃  he said。  〃Sure I'm in luck; anyhow。〃



〃You're the boy that's lucky;〃 said Teddy; with a grin。



As Paul witnessed the scene a light broke upon him。  Now he

understood how Teddy could afford to give such large prizes。 

Mike and the other boy; Jim; were only confederates of hisdecoy

duckswho kept drawing over again the same prize; which was

eventually given back to Teddy。  It was plain now why Mike put

the package into his pocket before opening it。  It was to

exchange it for another packet into which the money had

previously been placed; but which was supposed by the lookers…on

to be the same that had just been purchased。  The prize could

afterward be placed in a new packet and used over again。



〃That ain't the same package;〃 said Paul; announcing his

discovery。  〃He had it all the while in his pocket。〃



〃Look here;〃 blustered Mike; 〃you jest mind your own business! 

That's the best thing for you。〃



〃Suppose I don't?〃



〃If you don't there may be a funeral to…morrow of a boy about

your size。〃



There was a laugh at Paul's expense; but he took it coolly。



〃I'll send you a particular invitation to attend; if I can get

anybody to go over to the island。〃



As Mike had been a resident at Blackwell's Island on two

different occasions; this produced a laugh at his expense; in the

midst of which Paul walked off。







CHAPTER IV



TEDDY GIVES UP BUSINESS



〃Have you sold all your packages; Paul?〃 asked Jimmy; as our

hero entered the humble room; where the table was already spread

with a simple dinner。



〃No;〃 said Paul; 〃I only sold twenty。  I begin to think that the

prize…package business will soon be played out。〃



〃Why?〃



〃There's too many that'll go into it。〃



Here Paul related his experience of the morning; explaining how

it was that Teddy had managed to distance him in the competition。



〃Can't you do the same; Paul?〃 asked Jimmy。  〃Mother's got a

gold dollar she could lend you。〃



〃That might do;〃 said Paul; 〃but I don't know any boy I

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