Inland Waterways | Page 9

Phil replied. "Let us
find out what he wants."
"Don't do it. There's no sense in taking any risks, and, besides, we've
shown all the charity we can afford to at this end of the trip."
Phil did not heed his friend's remonstrances. At this point the canal was
unusually wide, and he gave the yacht a sheer which sent her within a
few feet of the path, Harry standing with his gun raised expecting each
instant to see the three men.
"It will serve us right if we get into a regular row," he muttered, and
before any reply could be made to the remark the stranger asked, as he
stood on the very edge of the bank:

"Won't you give a fellow a lift for a few miles? I'll do all I can to earn
my passage. It's mighty hard, slow work tramping along the path on a
hot day like this."
"Where are you bound?" Phil asked, as he gave the word to slow down,
for the stranger was now forced to run at full speed in order to keep
within speaking distance.
"To New York, where I count on getting work enough so's I can buy a
railroad ticket to Watertown, in the northern part of the State, where my
people live."
"Shall we do it?" Phil asked, as he signaled for Nat to stop the engine
entirely.
"I don't fancy picking up any and everybody we may meet," Harry
replied. "It seems rather fishy for him to be begging a passage on a
canal if his parents live within reach of the postal service."
The stranger must have heard the last portion of Harry's remark, for he
said earnestly:
"I know things look against me, and you are not to be blamed for
believing I'm a regular tramp; but that isn't true. Six weeks ago I ran
away from home rather than work on a farm, and I would walk every
step of the way back rather than ask father for money with which to
come back. When I do get there, though, you can bet I'll stay till I see a
sure chance of earning a living in the city."
"How far have you traveled?" Phil asked.
"From Philadelphia. That was the place I struck for when I ran away,
and during five weeks I've been hunting a job, but couldn't get one.
When my money gave out there was nothing to be done but take a trip
on Shank's mare, and I followed along the canal in the hope of getting a
chance now and then on some of the boats; but so far I haven't had
much luck. If you only take me as far as New Brunswick it will be a
big favor, and perhaps I can scrub the decks or the cabin to pay for the

passage."
"Oh, take the poor fellow in," Nat said in a low tone. "He surely can't
do us any harm, and it seems selfish to say no when it's only a question
of giving him a chance to sit down."
Harry had nothing to say. He was more suspicious than the others but
no less generous, and construing his silence as consent, Phil said,
passing a line ashore:
"Pull her bow in till you can jump aboard, and we'll land you in New
York if nothing breaks."
There was no delay on the part of the stranger; it seemed as if Phil had
hardly ceased speaking before he obeyed, and once more the Restless
glided on towards her rather vague destination.
The stranger introduced himself as "Jim Powell," and, this formality
over, was about to make his promise good by scrubbing the floor of the
standing room when Phil checked him by saying:
"There's no necessity of doing that until we get into port. Have you
seen three tramps anywhere around here!"
"Three? I've seen fifty," was the laughing reply. "There are places
where it seems as if the tow path was actually crowded with them. It is
-- say, can it be that you are the ones I heard a party of men talking
about last night?"
"I shouldn't wonder; we had a visit from some Saturday night while
lying at Baker's Basin."
"Then I can tell you something interesting. There are five who count on
doing considerable damage to your craft about three miles further down.
They were laying plans to pelt the yacht with rocks, and if any of you
were hurt there might be a chance to get on board."
"Do you have any idea of where they will be?"

"None, except that it was at a point below here where there are plenty
of trees to shelter them. By dropping the windows and running at full
speed whenever we come to such