Now or Never

Now or Never, by Oliver Optic

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Now or Never, by Oliver Optic This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Now or Never The Adventures of Bobby Bright
Author: Oliver Optic
Release Date: October 5, 2006 [EBook #19473]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NOW OR NEVER ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Tom Allen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

[Illustration: "I'm big enough to protect my Mother, and I'll do it."
p. 42.]

NOW OR NEVER
OR
THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY BRIGHT
A STORY FOR YOUNG FOLKS
OLIVER OPTIC
NEW EDITION
NEW YORK THE MERSHON COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by
WILLIAM T. ADAMS,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.
Copyright, 1884, By WILLIAM T. ADAMS.

NOW OR NEVER.

To my Nephew
CHARLES HENRY POPE
THIS BOOK
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED

PREFACE
The story contained in this volume is a record of youthful struggles, not only in the world without, but in the world within; and the success of the little hero is not merely a gathering up of wealth and honors, but a triumph over the temptations that beset the pilgrim on the plain of life. The attainment of worldly prosperity is not the truest victory; and the author has endeavored to make the interest of his story depend more on the hero's devotion to principles than on his success in business.
Bobby Bright is a smart boy; perhaps the reader will think he is altogether too smart for one of his years. This is a progressive age, and anything which young America may do need not surprise any person. That little gentleman is older than his father, knows more than his mother, can talk politics, smoke cigars, and drive a 2:40 horse. He orders "one stew" with as much ease as a man of forty, and can even pronounce correctly the villanous names of sundry French and German wines and liqueurs. One would suppose, to hear him talk, that he had been intimate with Socrates and Solon, with Napoleon and Noah Webster; in short, that whatever he did not know was not worth knowing.
In the face of these manifestations of exuberant genius, it would be absurd to accuse the author of making his hero do too much. All he has done is to give this genius a right direction; and for politics, cigars, 2:40 horses, and "one stew," he has substituted the duties of a rational and accountable being, regarding them as better fitted to develop the young gentleman's mind, heart, and soul.
Bobby Bright is something more than a smart boy. He is a good boy, and makes a true man. His daily life is the moral of the story, and the author hopes that his devotion to principle will make a stronger impression upon the mind of the young reader, than even the most exciting incidents of his eventful career.
WILLIAM T. ADAMS.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. In which Bobby goes a fishing, and catches a Horse 1
II. In which Bobby blushes several Times, and does a Sum in Arithmetic 13
III. In which the Little Black House is bought, but not paid for 26
IV. In which Bobby gets out of one Scrape, and into another 38
V. In which Bobby gives his Note for Sixty Dollars 52
VI. In which Bobby sets out on his Travels 66
VII. In which Bobby stands up for certain "Inalienable Rights" 78
VIII. In which Mr. Timmins is astonished, and Bobby dines in Chestnut Street 91
IX. In which Bobby opens various Accounts, and wins his first Victory 104
X. In which Bobby is a little too smart 117
XI. In which Bobby strikes a Balance, and returns to Riverdale 131
XII. In which Bobby astonishes sundry Persons, and pays Part of his Note 144
XIII. In which Bobby declines a Copartnership, and visits B---- again 160
XIV. In which Bobby's Air Castle is upset, and Tom Spicer takes to the Woods 177
XV. In which Bobby gets into a Scrape, and Tom Spicer turns up again 191
XVI. In which Bobby finds "it is an ill wind that blows no one any good" 205
XVII. In which Tom has a good Time, and Bobby meets with a terrible Misfortune 219
XVIII. In which Bobby takes French Leave, and camps in the Woods 235
XIX. In which Bobby has a narrow Escape, and goes to Sea with Sam Ray 248
XX. In which the Clouds blow over, and Bobby is himself again 264
XXI. In which Bobby steps off the Stage, and the Author must finish "Now or Never" 280

NOW OR NEVER
OR
THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY BRIGHT
CHAPTER I
IN WHICH BOBBY GOES A FISHING, AND CATCHES A HORSE
"By jolly! I've got a bite!" exclaimed Tom Spicer, a rough,